Born To Be Wild (11 page)

Or to herself.

Better to call Detective Ochoa, who would likely get a whole force of officers up there fast to save her daughter. Yes, that’s what she would do…

But first she would find out if Bobby was at the cabin, and if there was any sign of her daughter being there. If she found nothing, she would ride back home, and hopefully be able to sleep. But if she did find them, she would lie in wait for backup. She wouldn’t try to do anything stupid.

Hesitating before moving again, she looked around, but it was impossible to see many details. Though the moon was out, she was traveling through a forested area, and the light that filtered through the towering pines was faint. Above her, several cabin windows glowed softly through the trees.

Her pulse hammered.
This had to be it
.

And someone was obviously home.

Her stomach clenched at the thought of what she might find.

Doubt made her hesitate. She really shouldn’t have come alone. She could use backup now. And Micah would doubtless see it as another betrayal, when he’d been the one who hadn’t answered his phone. He’d never believe she wanted to protect him, either.

She wouldn’t do anything stupid, she told herself firmly. She would simply see who was inside. And if it was Bobby, and he did have Lucy, she would immediately call out the cavalry.

She turned Crank to the steep path that led up to the cabin. Urging the horse upward with a light squeeze of her legs, she leaned forward so her weight wouldn’t throw him off-balance. Still powerful despite his age, Crank easily took her to the flat above. She reined him in before breaking into the open meadow, and scanned the area for potential danger.

The two-story log cabin was lit up, but quiet. The large deck surrounding the ground floor was empty. A single car, low-slung and black, sat in the drive.

Her pulse surged as she remembered Sam Donovan’s description.
Black. Kinda sleek. And it looked fresh. New and cool. With a cross decal.

That described the car before her to a T. She wasn’t close enough and it wasn’t light enough to see a decal, though.

In the small barn and pasture to the rear of the cabin, several horses were grazing. One of them snorted at the intrusion.

“Ignore those other horses,” she whispered, sliding off Crank’s back and tying his reins to a tree limb. “Remember, be very, very quiet.”

Staying to the trees, Isabel silently made her way around to the back of the cabin, cutting away from the protective shelter before she reached the barn so she wouldn’t disturb the grazing horses.

Despite her care, she could hear restless movement—hooves flashing against the ground—that made her pulse shoot faster. Thankfully, no one came to a window to see what the fuss was about.

Once she reached the back of the cabin, she could hear music coming from the first floor. And low voices. At least one man’s voice. Bobby’s? She thought she recognized it. What about the darkened second floor? There was only one car, so it was likely that Bobby and one other person were the only occupants at the moment.

Now she heard a feminine voice. Muffled. Intense.
Lucy?
She couldn’t tell.

Her pulse rushed, but the cabin’s back room was dark. Unable to see anything there, she would have to go to one of the windows in a lit room.

Immersed in shadow, focused on moving silently, she rounded the corner to the side of the house and crept to the closest window, stopping dead when her foot caught on some metal tool that had been left on the deck.
Damn
. It made a muffled
clunk-clunk
as it bounced off the bottom of a rail.

She froze. Listened. The
tick-tick-tick
of her heartbeat was the only sound.

All she needed was
one
good look inside.

She inched her head closer to the screened window. An unexpected movement made her jerk back. She flattened herself against the side of the building.

“Hey, is someone out there?” a male voice shouted. “This is private property! Get out now before I get my gun!”

The threatening male voice did belong to Bobby. Isabel held perfectly still, held her breath, so he wouldn’t know she was there.

She heard him move away, muttering, “I could have sworn I heard someone out there.”

The statement was followed by what sounded like furniture thumping followed by a feminine whimper. Bobby said something in a tone so low Isabel couldn’t make out the words.

Forcing herself to take a breath, she tried to swallow, but the taste of fear soured her mouth.

Who was inside with him and what was he doing to her?

Was it Lucy or not?

She had to know.

Her mouth went dry and her stomach knotted as she again prepared to look inside. Willing her heartbeat to slow, she slid her back along the roughhewn logs, once more approaching the window. Just as she was about to peer around again for a quick look, she heard a soft shuffle behind her.

She whirled—

Just as a hand grabbed her by the throat and slammed her against the cabin wall.

Chapter Eleven

A rush of adrenaline shot through her as a light flashed in her face.

“What the hell?” Bobby growled, keeping her pinned to the wall by his grip on her throat. “If it isn’t Isabel Falcon. What can I do for you, sweetcakes?” His voice shifted into something more sinister, making the skin along her neck crawl. “Did you finally come to get some of Bobby?”

He forced her back hard against the cabin wall so that she felt each individual log along her spine. She told herself to stay calm, not to panic, but her pulse crazily
thump-thump-thumped
.

Though she was desperate to know if Lucy was inside, Isabel tried lying so he would let her go. “I didn’t have any idea you were here, Bobby Soto. I was just taking a night ride and my horse had trouble coming up the hill. He’s limping a little.” Her voice sounded ready to break. She gasped and finished. “I came to the house to see if I could use a phone to call for help.”

He laughed. “Why didn’t you just use your cell? And don’t tell me you don’t have it on you. I can feel it in your pocket.” He rocked his hips against hers, pressing the cell into her flesh.

Reminding Isabel of the way he’d treated her at the Coyote Lounge.

Flushing, she wondered if he could feel the sheathed knife, as well. Wondered if she could get to it to force him off her.

“I couldn’t get a signal.” She could hardly force out the words.

“Bullshit!”

Anger trumped the ball of fear for Lucy crowding her chest. “We’re not teenagers any more, Bobby!” she yelled, shoving at him so his hand loosened a bit. “Let go of me, right now!”

“Or you’ll what?
You
came to
me
. You must want
something
.”

Lucy. She wanted Lucy!

No longer keeping up the pretense, she cried, “I want my daughter back!”

“Did you misplace her?” he asked with a sneer.

Isabel couldn’t believe he could joke about a thing like this. She was breaking inside and he was laughing at her. “What have you done with Lucy, you bastard? You would really use a little girl for revenge?”

Bobby tightened his grip on her throat again. “I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about! Revenge for what? Because of things that happened when we were teenagers? That was a lifetime ago! You’re not even on my radar any more.”

Unable to back up, Isabel kept on the offensive. “I don’t believe it. You’re taking revenge against my little girl, because she described your brother’s lowrider to the police after the school bus accident.”

Bobby was silent for a moment before narrowing his gaze on her. “That’s right. The little bitch did squeal on Hank, didn’t she…”

As if he’d never considered it. Sure, Isabel was really going to believe that. She pleaded, “Let her go, Bobby, please!”

“Get it through your head, Isabel. I don’t have your damn brat.”

The next “Let her go, Bobby” came from behind him.

Even as Bobby turned, Micah grabbed him and pulled him off her. Landing in a crouch, Bobby sprang on Micah. The two went flying back against the rail where they started trading punches.

Isabel didn’t know what to do as the men hit each other in the face, went down together, then rolled around the deck just yards from where she stood. She wanted to rush into the house and see whether or not Bobby had lied…but at the same time, she feared what he might do to Micah if she left. Unless he’d changed, Bobby would do something underhanded to win the fight.

Isabel looked around for a weapon she could use against Bobby if necessary—giving Micah her knife was a last resort. Suddenly she spotted the metal tool she’d almost tripped over, one of several gardening tools lying on the deck. Isabel grabbed a rake with a sturdy handle as Micah rolled on top of Bobby and started punching. Bobby tried to block Micah, but unsuccessfully. His face took a pummeling.

Bobby yowled and bucked, but couldn’t budge Micah, who finally stopped.

Relieved that Micah had the upper hand, Isabel dropped the rake and ran toward the front of the house.

Behind her, Micah asked, “Is Lucy here?”

Isabel glanced back to see him pull Bobby to his feet. “Bobby says not. I’m going in to find out!” She raced around the corner to the open door. Heart thudding, she yelled, “Lucy!” She rushed into an empty living area with old-fashioned furniture and a giant chandelier made from a wagon wheel. Maybe her daughter was in one of the bedrooms. She headed for the staircase. “Are you here, Lucy?”

“Who’s Lucy?”

Isabel froze when she heard the unfamiliar female voice coming from the plaid couch set in front of the fireplace.

A blonde popped her head up over the upholstered back and locked gazes with her. “And who are you, lady?”

The blonde appeared to be very young and a little drunk. A half-empty bottle of tequila and two glasses sat on the coffee table. It appeared that she and Bobby had been partying—the girl’s blouse was half undone.

“Are you the only one here?” Isabel asked.

“No, I’m with my boyfriend.”

Even as her hopes for finding Lucy deflated, Bobby came flying through the door, arms and legs sprawling so he almost fell on his face. He caught himself on the edge of a big upholstered chair. Blood from his nose streaked his cheek and chin, and his dark eyes narrowed on her. Micah followed directly behind him.

“You’re gonna regret this, both of you!”

Micah said, “I doubt that.”

“Then you don’t really know me. I could have you arrested for trespassing, and assault and battery.”

Micah pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and offered it to the other man. “Here, make the call.” When Bobby simply glared at him, Micah slipped the cell back into his pocket. “Didn’t think so. What are you hiding, Bobby?”

“What the hell? Nothing! You give me all this grief—for what? I already told Isabel I don’t have your kid!” And he didn’t sound the least bit sympathetic that their child was missing.

“Why should we believe you?” Micah demanded.

“Hell, I didn’t even think about the kid until Isabel got all hot and bothered over her being gone and told me why she thought I was involved. It would serve you right if I
did
have your little Lucy. But I
don’t
.” He turned his gaze to his companion. “I have someone infinitely more interesting to service, right, Sherry?”

“Me!” the blonde squealed. Then apparently just noticing, she said, “Baby, you’re bleeding!”

“Are you even legal?” Isabel asked.

Sherry frowned and said, “Yeah, I was born right here in New Mexico.”

“I meant your age.”

The blonde sighed and looked adoringly at Bobby. “Age doesn’t matter when you’re in love.”

“She’s legal,” Bobby said. “She’ll be nineteen next month.”

Which made her thirteen years younger than he was. She was practically a kid. Closer to Lucy’s age than Bobby’s.

“I could show you my driver’s license.”

“You don’t have to show them anything, sweetcakes,” Bobby told her. “And you two…get out!”

“You’re sure you’re the only girl here?” Isabel asked, unable to stop the hopelessness in her voice.
If not here, then where was Lucy?

“I’m not into threesomes.” Sherry turned to Bobby. “I told you that, right?”

“Yeah, sweetcakes, you did.” Bobby looked from Micah to Isabel. “What kind of a jackass do you think I am that I would kidnap a kid, even if it was to keep her from testifying against Hank? When did she disappear, anyway?”

A demoralized Isabel stood dazed. “Yesterday afternoon. In the school parking lot after school let out.”
If not Bobby, then who the hell had her daughter?

“Yesterday afternoon we were in Albuquerque, weren’t we, Sherry?”

The blonde nodded. “I had to pick up some stuff I left at my sister’s place, and Bobby was so sweet to drive me.”

Bobby shook his head. “We were friends once, Micah. You wound me.”

Isabel didn’t think Bobby felt wounded—other than the mess Micah had made of his face. He’d never been a real friend to anyone. He’d spent time with Micah, but a friend didn’t go after his buddy’s girl. This was all an act. Isabel wanted to call Bobby on it, but not finding Lucy as she’d expected had left her shaky and uncertain of herself.

“If we made a mistake,” Micah said, “then you have our apologies. But our daughter’s welfare is more important than anyone’s ego.”

She’s the one who’d make the mistake, Isabel thought, but Micah was sharing the responsibility. Just as he had all along…

“I’ll remember that, Micah,” Bobby said, his tone indicating he wanted payback. “Now what do I have to do to get you two off my property? Do I need to call the sheriff?”

“We’re going.” Micah hooked a hand around Isabel’s arm. “Come on, let’s get out of here.”

Isabel let him take her outside. Micah’s grip was a little harsh, but she didn’t fight him. He was upset with her, and since she figured he had a right to be angry, she let him lead her straight to the edge of the clearing.

Anguish flooded through her again.
Bobby didn’t have Lucy
.

Now what?

How would they ever find their daughter now?

Everything had seemed so logical when Zia had mentioned Bobby. Isabel had bought into the idea completely. She hadn’t even considered anyone else.

They had to figure out who had their child, so they could rescue her.

The thought multiplied in her mind until she was ready to scream.

Micah stopped when he got within a few yards of Crank. She saw that he’d tied Slade to the next tree. For a moment, she didn’t think he was going to say anything, that he’d let her get on her horse and ride away unscathed.

Her mistake.

“What the
hell
were you thinking, Isabel?”

His harsh tone was like another blow.

“That Lucy might be here with Bobby!”

She shoved past him to mount Crank. She just wanted to ride away her anguish, so she looked around for a means of mounting the gelding. Hoping a nearby tree stump would do, she moved Crank to it, stepped up and tried to throw herself over his back. Though she tried several times, she couldn’t manage it. Either the stump was too low or she’d run out of energy.

“Let me give you a leg up,” Micah said.

His dark expression brooked no argument. Besides, if she didn’t let him help her, she might never be able to mount the horse.

He positioned himself next to the horse’s side and held out his hands, fingers intertwined into a stirrup. Holding Crank’s reins, she grabbed onto his mane and placed her foot into Micah’s cradled hands. They were so close that she rubbed against his arms when she bounced upward. Her pulse fluttered and she froze for a moment as she stared down into his face. There was something open and hopeful about his expression…but as quickly as she saw his vulnerability, it was gone, replaced by something far more intense. His arms were straining with her weight, but he said nothing. She finished the mount, throwing her free leg over Crank’s back, and it took her a few seconds to regain her bearings.

When she looked to Micah, he was already mounted on Slade.

They rode a while, the silence between them thick. Unnatural. Uncomfortable.

Micah’s disapproval was tangible, and as hard as she tried, Isabel couldn’t ignore it. She’d thought they were on the same page about Lucy. She’d just wanted to find their daughter.

Halfway back to the ranch, as they cut through forested area, they came to a small clearing.

Micah slowed Slade. “Before we go our separate ways, we need to talk about what happened tonight, Isabel. This is as good a place as any.” He pulled Slade in front of Crank. “Dismount.”

“I think we should just go home and talk tomorrow.”

Micah blocked her from moving. “Get down, Isabel.”

Not wanting the fight she was certain was coming, Isabel reluctantly did as he ordered. Micah took Crank’s reins and tied up both horses to nearby trees.

Apparently someone had used the area as a campsite. A log was positioned perfectly in front of a fire pit. Micah’s mood was dark, and she sensed he was holding on to his temper by a thread as he stood a foot from her and stared down into her face.

“I thought we were trying to find Lucy
together
. Going up to that cabin alone, you could have gotten hurt.”

“I tried calling—three times—but you didn’t answer.”

He frowned as though he didn’t believe her. “Then you should have waited until I did.”

“It was just a hunch. And Bobby didn’t actually do anything to me other than keep me from moving.” Micah was being far more reasonable than she’d expected. “Besides, if Lucy had been there, it would have been worth any risk. You know that.” When Micah didn’t argue, she said, “I was not going inside to face Bobby by myself, Micah. I was just trying to see if they were there or not. And if they were, I’d already decided that I would call Detective Ochoa and have him get the local authorities out there.”

Micah continued to stare down at her. His eyes were spooky in the moonlight. “Ochoa. Not me.”

Her heart squeezed. “And if I had, what would you have done, Micah?”

He choked in response.

“Exactly! If Bobby did have Lucy,” she exclaimed, “you’d probably have killed him!”

“Believe me, I thought about it.”

“And that’s why I would have called Ochoa. I didn’t want you to be the one behind bars instead of Bobby.”

His stare penetrated her, making her tremble inside. How did he still have this effect on her after all these years? Part of her wanted him so badly, but the other part wanted even more to keep control, to keep herself—
her heart
—safe. Why couldn’t she put up some invisible barrier that negated his power over her?

He asked, “Why don’t you want me behind bars, Isabel? Because you still feel something for me?”

She looked away. “Because I don’t want our daughter to grow up without a father.”

That much was true. As far as it went. But she didn’t dare go any further. What she really wanted and what Micah was able to give her could still be two vastly different things.

Best to change the subject completely. “I assume my sister told you where I was.”