When Love's Gone Country (Sequel two of the Embracing Love Trilogy) (21 page)

“What are we waiting for?” Pure asked.

They all began heading toward the big, red barn. Halfway there, a golf cart came whizzing by. It only came to a stop when the driver veered off the path and ran into the fence.

“Courtney! Are you okay?” Purity said when she realized the driver was her friend.

“Stupid cart! How hard can it be to press on the brake?”

“Here, let me help you,” Brad said, helping her disentangle her body from the passenger’s side where it had been thrown.

“They’re on their way to the river and I know how to get there. Hop in.”

“Why don’t you let me drive,” Brad said.

“Nonsense! I’m gettin’ the hang of it now.”

“Court, let Brad drive. We want to get there in one piece.”

“I’d argue, but we’re wastin’ time. Bart and Red are on their way to the river.”

“How do you know?” Alex said as he and Purity got in the back seat and Brad maneuvered the cart back onto the path.

“I ran into Charlie Mankins. He’s such a nice guy. Did you know he’s engaged to Sam? They met right here on the ranch.”

“We know. Focus,” Purity said.

“Oh, yeah, well, Charlie said he saw Bart and Red headed toward the wheat field.”

“That’s not unusual,” Brad said.

“Charlie said that’s the way to the river. You go past the wheat field, follow the road to where the two big ol’ oak trees flank another path. You follow that one through the woods and on the other side is the river.”

“And the double y?” Pure asked.

“Yes. And, the waterfall.”

“Sounds like it’s a pretty good distance,” Alex said. “Were Bart and Red on foot?”

“I didn’t ask, but I got that impression.”

“Better slow up a bit then, Brad. We don’t want to get too close.”

“I’ll keep an eye out.”

When Brad came to the end of the wheat field and was about to turn right, Courtney said, “Watch that brake. It’s tricky.”

Brad rested his foot on the brake pedal and turned the corner.

“What the hell?” Brad felt the cart tilt to the right and the wheel underneath him become airborne.

“Hang on!” Courtney yelled.

Purity and Alex grabbed the poles on either side of the open exit doors.

“What happened to the brakes?” Alex yelled.

“I don’t think we have any.” The cart resumed its normal position with all four wheels touching the ground.

“You thought I was just a bad driver, but it really wasn’t me, it’s the cart, I tell ya!” Court said.

“You’re right. I’m going to go slower. I don’t want a repeat of that again.”

“Probably a good idea anyway, Red and Bart can’t have had that much of a lead on us.”

“When we get to the oak trees, maybe we should ditch the cart,” Court said.

They all agreed.

Brad pulled as far off the dirt road as he could get and let the cart roll to a stop.

“Is that them?” Court asked, ducking down below the dashboard.

“Where?”

“By the edge of the forest.” She peered over the steering wheel. “Just to the right a bit.”

“I see something,” Purity said.

“Isn’t this enough evidence?” Brad asked. “They’re obviously headed toward the river. There’s nothing else over here.”

“Purity, you stay here and try and get Frank or Emma on your cell and tell them we’ve spotted Red and Bart. We’ll follow them.”

“Okay.” Purity retrieved her cell phone and began making the call to the Double Y Ranch number.

“I don’t see them anymore, they’re undercover of the woods,” Brad said.

“Good. We’re far enough behind them that we don’t have to be too quiet,” Alex said.

“Good thing. Quiet isn’t my specialty,” Courtney said.

Chapter Twenty-Six

The path through the forest was easy to traverse. Courtney imagined kids with flashlights following the trail to go skinny dipping in the river late at night. It’d be fun to grow up in the country.

She could see Brad sitting on the porch sipping sweet iced tea at the end of a long, hot summer day. The screen door would bang every time someone came through the door. Their home would be a haven for friends and family, and anyone who needed a safe place to sleep for the night.

“What are you smiling about?” Brad asked, as they walked toward a bend in the path.

“Just thinking what it would be like if you and I lived in the country.”

“I’d love it. So would Diego.”

“He’d definitely love it, except for the heat. He’d probably shed—”

“Sh.” Alex put his hand up.

The snap of a twig nearby made them all look toward the sound. Nobody moved. They didn’t realize they were all holding their breath as they strained to hear the slightest sound.

Courtney pointed to an area off the path to the left. They could barely see a few leaves moving. It could have been the breeze, but none of them believed it was.

“You’re hearin’ things,” Bart said. “There ain’t nobody followin’ us.”

“I was sure I heard voices.”

“It was probably just the river.”

“Maybe.” Red made one more look around the area, then they headed back toward the path.

“Hang back,” Alex said. “Let’s give ‘em some room.”

“Mums the word from here on out,” Brad said.

They all nodded in agreement.

When five minutes had passed, Alex started walking around the bend in the path again. When the turn was complete, he could see several more twists ahead. “We need to keep our eyes open. If they stop and hide out of sight like last time, we might not see them before they see us.”

They slowed their pace and made a habit of scanning the woods. It took longer, but they had to be certain they weren’t walking into a trap.

Fifteen minutes later the woods became sparse. Fewer and few trees gave them cover and they all felt vulnerable.

The waterfall could be heard nearby, but not seen. The rushing whirr of white water was much closer. They crested a small hill on their bellies and found Bart and Red sitting on the other side down by the river bed.

“There’s the double y,” Brad said.

“It’s beautiful. Funny how both of the y’s to the right are so slow and the ones to the left are so wild,” Court said.

“I think there are more rocks to the right, and it’s shallower. When the sun hits the water, I can see right to the bottom,” Alex said.

Bart and Red stood close, pointing to areas at the river’s edge, then huddling close to confer some more.

“What now?” Courtney asked.

“We wait for the calvary,” Alex said.

“When Frank and Emma show up, my guess is they’ll have Bart and Red escorted off the premises for good.”

“Seems a bit anticlimactic,” Court said.

“You want more drama?” Brad asked.

“Well, something could happen to make it a bit more exciting. All we’re doing is lying on a hill. Big whoop!”

“I’ve had enough excitement,” Brad said.

“Here, here,” Alex concurred. “I need a vacation from this vacation.”

“Maybe we should have stayed at Moon Spirit Lodge and forgotten all about coming to the ranch,” Brad said.

“I’ve had fun. Just a different kind of fun. And I really liked working with the horses, they—”

“Sh.” Brad pointed to the right. Jacob walked toward Bart and Red.

“What’s Jacob doing here?” Alex asked.

“Is he alone?” Court asked.

Alex felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on edge. “I don’t think so,”

Two men traced Jacob’s footsteps, guns drawn.

Courtney started to get up, but Brad held her down. “Not yet. We have to see what they’re up to.”

“They’re going to hurt him. We have to do something,” Court said.

“Wait,” Alex said. “I know what you’re thinking, but wait.”

Courtney’s adrenaline was pulsing through her veins. She wanted to kick those men in the teeth and gouge out their eyes. How dare they put Jacob into such a dangerous position.

They watched as Jacob began taking off his clothes.

“What in the hell?” Court asked.

Realization dawned on Brad. “They’re going to make him find it, the healing well. Damn cowards. They won’t go in those rapids, but they’ll risk Jacob’s life.”

“Who can swim?” Alex asked.

“I can dog paddle, a little,” Brad said.

“I sink,” Alex said.

“I can swim,” Court said. “I used to be a life guard during the summer.”

“You’re it, then,” Alex said.

“For what?”

“Follow me.”

They shimmied back down the hill until they were sure no one could see them, then they stood up. Alex led them down river, explaining. “When Jacob goes in the water, you swim upstream, find him and lead him underwater back to where we are.”

“The current is strong here. I don’t know if I can. And, I don’t know if Jacob can hold his breath that long.”

“We have to try. It’s our only chance. No one from the ranch is coming and they’re about to send Jacob to his death.”

“Ferocity of love,” Courtney said as chill bumps ran down her arms. “I’ll find him, and I won’t let go.”

About thirty yards upstream they heard a splash as Jacob dove into the river.

Courtney stripped down to her undergarments and slid into the water. Her vision was blurry, but she squinted and headed against the current. It would be easier on the way back. She began to count, one one-thousand, two one-thousand, three one-thousand.

She knew the men’s attention would be focused on Jacob. She stayed close to the river’s edge, came up for air once, then took one huge breath and slid to the bottom of the river, moving upstream at the same time.

She searched for signs of an arm or leg, but saw nothing. She had begun counting again, but was having a hard time keeping track. The rapids made ripples along the edge of the riverbed, allowing for little light to seep through.

When her lungs began to ache for oxygen, she pushed herself further upstream. Ferocity of love, dammit! She wasn’t leaving without some part of Jacob in her hands.

The current would carry them downstream. She just needed something to grab onto.

Her lungs were going to burst. She fought the urge to inhale. Jacob! She screamed the word in her head. She began to feel dizzy and lightheaded, like she was making her way through a dense fog. Tiredness was settling into her limbs. Jacob, please, you have to see me.