Her Lifeline: (A Romantic Suspense) (12 page)

Walking to the bathroom, he climbed in the shower, savoring the warm water. He was sorer today than yesterday after the fight, and his black eye was darker. He had a feeling that his encounter with John in town would not be the last, but Amelia was worth it.

Dressing in some old Wranglers and a white t-shirt, he made note to grab the sunscreen. The days were getting shorter, hinting at fall right around the corner, but with the random Texas weather, he could never be too careful.

Noah was excited to see him as he made his way across the yard. The dogs greeted him in a group, and his heart skipped a beat when Amelia stepped out on the porch with a large coffee mug. Nick figured she’d always take his breath away. He was like a lovesick schoolboy who got butterflies in his stomach every time he saw the woman he loved.

“I was wondering how late you’d sleep today.” She handed him the mug and he took a swig of the warm beverage.

“I was kinda hoping you’d still be there.” He kept his voice low with Noah and her dad nearby.

“Well, isn’t this the perfect picture for a postcard?”

Nick turned to see a man he didn’t recognize come around the corner. His hair was slicked back and he reeked of arrogance. Just by his body language, Nick could tell this wouldn’t be good. Amelia’s eyes widened and she hopped off the porch and stood in front of Noah.

“What are you doing here, Chris?”

“I’m sure you got my note in the mail?”

Nick followed Amelia, standing next to her. He wasn’t sure what this guy was up to, but anything to make her uncomfortable was enough for him to want to protect her.

“I did.”

“So why haven’t I gotten any more payment?”

“We’ve paid you some more, Chris. We haven’t been able to pay the full amount, at least not yet. I finally have a ranch hand so we’ll be able to sell more crop and have more income for you.”

Chris cocked his head to the side and smiled, revealing his yellow teeth. “I need it paid off. I’ve given you plenty of second chances, Amelia Tucker.”

Her father joined them, and though he was probably unable to serve as any protection if things did get serious, the presence of an older man might help with intimidation, but by the looks of this guy, Nick knew that it probably wouldn’t faze the jerk.

“Believe me when I say we’ll pay. I’ve never had any unpaid debts, and I certainly won’t start now.”

It was now clear to Nick that what John had told him was true. The ranch was in trouble. Amelia had some serious debt to pay back to a wise guy whose fuse was obviously down to the end.

“Not good enough, Tucker. I need the money. You know what I’m capable of.”

That was Nick’s boiling point. Stepping in front of them, he got in Chris’s face, his jaw clenched. He didn’t have any details of what was going on, but he wasn’t going to stand for this. “Are you threatening them?”

“Who’s this dumb ass? Who are you?”

“Nick Miller. I’m the ranch hand they hired.”

Chris scoffed and took a couple of steps back. “Then you serve no purpose to me. You won’t have the payoff amount I need being a measly blue collar jackass.”

Nick took two steps forward, still in his face. “You’re threatening the woman I love. I’m not gonna stand for that.” It wasn’t exactly how he wanted to announce his relationship with Amelia, but in the heat of it all, it came out unintentionally. “Take your slicked hair and your Mercedes and leave. She doesn’t have the money yet. She’ll get it.”

Chris continued to back up, and Nick matched him step for step until he got him closer to his car. “This isn’t over, Nick Miller.”

“Right now it is. I hear you threaten her again, I’ll knock your front teeth out, you hear me?”

Chris opened his car door and took another look past Nick at Amelia and her family, then back to him. “Amelia has no money. I guess she’s paying you in other ways, you know what I’m saying?” He arched his eyebrow and winked, and it took all Nick had in him to not deck the guy. Instead, the weasel slipped into his car. “No more chances. I need the full amount. You’re gonna regret that this ever happened.”

Nick slammed the door and didn’t take his eyes off of the black car until it was down the highway and completely out of sight. He didn’t know Amelia was standing there until he felt her arm wrap around his. Her eyes were red and swollen.

“So I guess you know now. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”

“That’s not the problem, Amelia. The problem is Chris and what we’re gonna do about paying this debt back.” Her dad approached them, and it dawned on Nick that his and Amelia’s relationship was no longer a secret. He wasn’t sure how Mr. Tucker would take it, and he instantly regretted allowing his anger to make him say things that he otherwise would’ve kept quiet. “I think we’ve all got a lot to talk about.”

Amelia’s father went straight into the house, and Nick followed. Amelia wasn’t far behind, and she took Noah into the living room and put a movie on to distract him. Walking into the kitchen, she sat down beside him and grabbed his hand, no one able to break the silence. Nick had never seen Mr. Tucker so distraught, and he had to wonder if it was the announcement of their relationship, or the whole situation in general. He felt selfish for thinking that – it was obvious the man had bigger things on his mind than Amelia’s love life.

“Nick, I’m sorry that we have dragged you into this.” Mr. Tucker finally spoke up, glancing down at his cowboy hat on the table. “All of this is happening because I went to a bookie.”

“Dad…” Amelia broke in, but it didn’t stop him.

“No, let me say what I’m gonna say. The banks wouldn’t listen. I guess I burned all of my bridges with them. This ranch has been in our family for a long time. I can’t be the one to lose it, even if it meant going to that guy. I guess I just felt desperate. I still feel desperate.”

Nick had so many questions, but it felt inappropriate to ask them. He was a worker on the ranch, but nothing past that – the financial woes of Amelia and her father, at least from a legal standpoint, were none of his business. His romantic interaction with Amelia made him feel more involved, but he was stuck between a rock and a hard place.

“It’s more debt than any of the crops will cover. How did we let it get so bad?” Amelia’s voice quivered, and Nick pulled her in for a side hug.

“Have y’all thought about the police?” Nick finally thought of a question that wasn’t too personal.

Mr. Tucker shook his head. “I’m not sure it’d help. The fact that we went to a bookie to begin with was our first step down this path. He hasn’t really done anything illegal yet. He’s made threats, but the police won’t do anything. It was my decision to get involved.” He stood up and looked out of the window above the kitchen sink. “We could sell some of the acreage off. We’ve got the back fifteen we could give to that contractor who wants to build.”

Amelia followed him and leaned against the kitchen counter. “The back fifteen with the pond we all like to go to on hot summer days?”

Nick instantly thought of the night he and Amelia skinny-dipped and made love. The memory was amazing and they could probably make good money off of it.

“I know it’s sentimental to you, but we’ve already had people interested. If it means keeping the rest of the ranch, why not?” Mr. Tucker asked. “So many ranchers around here have sold everything. At least we’d still have something to show for what’s ours. I’m gonna go into town. I won’t make any decisions until I present them to y’all, but let me see what some of the options are.” He grabbed his keys from the rack. “It’s a start. Nothing is set in stone.” He went out of the back door and the loud sound of the diesel pickup rattled against the house as he drove off.

“I can’t talk about this. I know we need to, I just can’t right now.” Amelia began to cry and peaked into the living room, making sure that Noah was okay. “He fell asleep. Thank goodness. He knows something is going on, but I can’t tell him that we might possibly have to move into the city.” Grabbing his hand, she led him outside. “I need some fresh air.”

“Is there anything I can do? ” Nick felt so helpless. “I mean, you hired me to help, right?”

They walked out and sat under a grove of shade trees between the bunkhouse and main house. “You’ve done so much. If anything, it’s increased the net worth of this place.” Forcing a smile, she leaned into him, resting her head on his chest. “As far as the bank is concerned, we’re paid up. The house and everything is taken care of since it’s been in the family forever – it’s the taxes and other expenses that are killing us. Daddy borrowed the money from the loan shark to take care of the bank and all of those costs. The poor guy is so naïve.” More tears began to flow, and she bit her bottom lip. “I guess he didn’t realize Chris would have higher interest rates and unorthodox ways of collecting payment.”

“You think him going into town right now is a good idea?”

Amelia nodded. “He can’t do anything. If he tries to sell anything, it’d require both our signatures. And no one is going to loan any more money. Unfortunately, our reputation has spread. Hell, anyone around here who owns a farm is labeled high risk. The only interested parties are realtors, contractors, and suits wanting to buy it. They know we’re all desperate. They know they can snatch up this land at an all time low price and put million dollar houses on it. That’s what happens as Austin gets closer.”

“I wish I knew what to do. I know this is all special to y’all. I know you wanna keep it in the family. I wish I could help more.”

Amelia looked up at him, her eyes red, but still vibrant. She quickly wiped the tears away, her beautiful smile breathtaking, even in the midst of everything happening. “You mean you want to stick around?”

“Of course. Why would I not?”

Shaking her head, she kissed Nick’s chin, and pecked him on the lips. “Handsome, hard working, and patient with all of my baggage and drama that you didn’t sign on for. How in the hell was I lucky enough to run across you, Nick Miller? I don’t deserve you.”

“How was I lucky enough to run across that newspaper ad? From the moment the army discharged me I was bitter and angry. Had they not, I’d probably be back over in the Middle East on another tour instead of here with you. Talk about a blessing in disguise. It’s gonna take a lot more than some debt to get rid of me. I’m here for you. I’ll always be here for you.” Nick wondered when he had gotten so cheesy, but it didn’t matter. He meant every word of it. The ranch held a soft spot in his heart, and he hadn’t been living on it near the time that Mr. Tucker and Amelia had. They had to find a way to save it. It was too beautiful to allow it to be turned into a housing development.

Chapter Twelve

Amelia had lost track of time and her heart skipped a beat when she saw her dad pull back in the driveway. It didn’t feel like he had been gone that long, but when she glanced down at her watch, she realized that her and Nick had been sitting under the tree for about an hour. It was such a beautiful afternoon that for a split second, all of the troubles had faded again. It was amazing how Nick had that affect on her.

Standing up, she brushed the grass from her jeans. “Daddy’s home again. I wonder if he found anything out.”

“Amelia! Where’s Noah?”

Her dad seemed frantic, his pace quick as he walked toward the house.

“Dad? What’s wrong?”

“Where’s Noah?” he asked again. “Is he with y’all?”

“He was taking a nap. Nick and I just came out to get some air. Why? What happened?” Amelia wiped her clammy hands on her jeans.

“I got a phone call. All they said was Noah and hung up. I didn’t recognize the voice, but with everything happening…” he trailed off.

Amelia wasted no time and went inside, immediately checking the living room. The TV was still on, but the blankets that her son was lying on were empty. “Noah?” No response. “Noah, were are you?” Please let him just be in the bathroom. Or maybe he decided to go to his room. Hurrying down the hallway, Amelia tried hard not to panic, but with each step, a heavy feeling settled in the pit of her stomach. “Noah?” she yelled, and fought the urge to puke when she saw his room was also vacant.

Nick was behind her, his hand on her arm. “Could he have gone outside? He loves playing with the dogs.”

Amelia didn’t answer him, but it was a good suggestion that she hoped were true. Her instincts were screaming that there was more to this, but she had to check. Running out into the yard, she checked all of the places that Noah loved to hide. He wasn’t in the barn, he wasn’t in the tool shed, or in any of the trucks.

“I checked the bunkhouse too. He’s not there.”

The world felt as if it were spinning. Amelia wanted to puke, but instead she fell to the ground, the very thought of her only son going missing bringing her to her knees. Tears flowed freely, and usually she was quick to wipe them away, but now she didn’t care. Nick pulled her into a tight hug, and his strong arms were comforting.

“That son of a bitch Chris took him, I know he did!” Her dad flailed his arms in the air. “I knew he was gonna start playing dirty.”

Fear, guilt, and anger coursed through Amelia. How did they not see it happen? They weren’t that far away. He was just in the house. Shouldn’t they have heard the vehicle pull up? Wouldn’t Noah yell if something bad were happening? There were too many questions and no answers.

“I think it’s time to get the police involved.” Nick’s chest rumbled as he spoke, and Amelia had no reason to object. It didn’t matter what it’d take – she had to get her son back.

***

Nick slid a mug of coffee across the table to Amelia as he sat beside her. After what seemed like eternity, the police had arrived at the house. They were willing to go into the station, but the sheriff wanted to come survey where Noah had gone missing. The room was quiet and Nick wondered when they’d start asking questions. Amelia looked up, but didn’t touch the coffee. She hadn’t said much since they had called the cops, and it killed Nick to see her this way. He couldn’t imagine what she was feeling – the thought of not knowing where your child is has got to be terrifying.

“What time did he go missing?” Finally, Sheriff Grady broke the silence as he pulled a notepad from his breast pocket and waited for a response.

Glancing at the cop, Amelia’s eyes were red and swollen. “This afternoon. I guess around two.”

“You guess?” Sheriff Grady stopped writing and flashed a hard look at her.

“He was in the house taking a nap. My dad went into town and Nick and I were out in the yard. I can’t give you an exact time, Chief. If I knew that, then I’d know who has him, right?”

“I presume this is Nick?” He pointed his pen toward Nick, sizing him up. “I don’t think I know you. You’re not from around here, are you? Nice looking shiner you got there.”

“No sir. Not this area.” He squeezed Amelia’s hand. He was here for her, not matter what it took – even if it meant being a possible suspect. The fact that he recently got beat up didn’t help first impressions with the cop.

“What brings you here?”

Amelia broke in before Nick could answer. “I hired him. We needed a ranch hand and he answered the ad. If you’re insinuating anything else, you’re wrong about him.”

“I’m not assuming anything, Ms. Tucker. I just want to know who everyone involved is.” The sheriff looked toward Nick, waiting on his answer.

Adjusting his baseball cap, Nick moved in his chair. He had never been in trouble with the law, but they always seemed to have a knack for making you feel guilty, despite the fact of him not doing a damn thing. “I just got discharged from the army, sir. Was stationed at Fort Hood. Traveled to Austin, and now here I am.” It was simple, it was true, and Nick could understand if Sheriff Grady had his qualms about him.

“I was a soldier myself. How many tours?”

Nick took a deep breath and shook his head. “With all due respect, sir, this is about Amelia and Noah. We need to find that little boy. We can talk about our history later. Don’t you think we oughta be out there looking?”

              The older man seemed to not like Nick’s answer by the way he creased his brow. Nick didn’t care. He wasn’t here to impress a local cop. He was here to find Noah and here to make sure Amelia was taken care of. Glancing at her father, Nick was surprised he hadn’t spoken up, but there seemed to be some tension between him and Sheriff Grady just from the sideways glances Mr. Tucker flashed him, along with the fact that he hadn’t said two words since law enforcement showed up. Or maybe the poor guy was in shock. There was so much happening with the ranch debt, and now this on top of it. Desperation made people do crazy things. Nick could relate.

Sheriff Grady jotted something on his note pad. “You say you think he disappeared around two. That doesn’t give much time. Could he have possibly just wandered off somewhere? Kinds lose track of where they are. You’ve got a lot of acres. Did you look around here?”

“Yes, we have. We’ve looked everywhere he likes to go. Noah wouldn’t run off. He knows the boundaries of our land. It’s got a barbed wire fence around it, for crying out loud,” Amelia replied, her patience wearing thin.

“A
damaged
fence. I’ve heard surrounding ranches state that your cattle tend to get out. If a cow can, a small boy could too.”

Nick was trying desperately to keep his cool, but with everything they had to offer, this guy was shooting it down. They didn’t have time for this. The longer they played this game, the farther Noah could be from them. “I’ve fixed the fence, Sheriff. None of our livestock has gotten out for over a week now.” Nick looked him straight in the eye. “What is it with you small town cops? We have people you’d be interested in. What’s the harm in looking into it? Why do you have to think we’re being incompetent and Noah just ran off? He didn’t run off. Someone took him.”

“For not being from around here, you seem to know a lot about the Tuckers.”

“You’ve gotta be kidding me.” Nick was about to stand up, but Amelia’s hand on his forearm pulled him back to reality. His nerves were frazzled, but he couldn’t come unwound. It’d just land him behind bars, and what good would that do her?

Mr. Tucker finally broke his silence, “Sheriff Grady, Amelia and John are always fighting for custody. The courts have sided with her, pissing John off. He’s a possibility. Also, we’ve been in some serious debt lately. I borrowed some money from a not so legitimate person and now they want payment. Nick had a run in with them in town, and somehow John is involved in that too. Don’t ask me how, but it sounds like a hell of a coincidence if you ask me.”

Sheriff Grady nodded as he wrote what seemed like a novel down on the small piece of paper. Finally, he was showing somewhat of an interest in what they had to tell him. “Got a name on the guy you took the loan from?”

“Chris. I know that doesn’t really narrow it down, but it’s something. Noah didn’t run off. Noah didn’t lose track of where he was. He’s with his father and Chris. They’re making a statement.” Mr. Tucker stood up and began to pace. “It’s all my fault. If we don’t find my grandson, I’ll never be able to forgive myself.”

“Daddy, it’s not your fault. Don’t think like that.”

Sheriff Grady stood up and walked toward the door. “We’ll look into this information. In the meantime, stick around the house. Keep your phone near you. Maybe whoever has him will try to make contact. Call me if anything out of the ordinary happens, and I’ll keep in touch with what we’re doing on my end.” He extended his hand and both Nick and Mr. Tucker returned the handshake, but Amelia stayed in her chair. Maybe she was in shock, too.

Sitting beside her, Nick waited until he heard the car drive off before he said, “I’m gonna go look for him. That son of a bitch ain’t gonna do a damn thing right now. He still thinks Noah is out back somewhere.”

“It’ll be dangerous, Nick. It’s obvious they don’t care if they hurt you.”

“What else are we gonna do? I can’t just sit here and wait.”

He started toward the backdoor, heading for the bunkhouse. His mind was set on finding Noah, and he didn’t realize Amelia had followed him until he was inside. Opening his closet, he pushed some clothes aside and found the cabinet where he was storing a rifle and a handgun that he had kept since he turned eighteen.

“Nick, I appreciate you wanting to do this, but you don’t have to. I should’ve never got you into this.”

He set the two guns on the bed and gathered up the ammunition. Hopefully it wouldn’t call for it, but having them in his possession for show could work in his favor. “I love you, Amelia. I love Noah. He’s like my own flesh and blood. I’m not gonna stand for someone coming in here and doing this. You didn’t get me into this. How can I let the only people who ever made me feel like I belong go through this without helping?” He cocked the shotgun and an empty shell bounced to the floor.

Amelia found a notepad on the desk and scribbled something. “This is John’s address. I highly doubt they’d have Noah there, but you might find something that is helpful.” She folded the yellow paper up and slipped it into Nick’s pants pocket. “I don’t know where Chris is. According to Daddy, he keeps a low profile from his clients.”

Nick wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her as close to him as possible. “I love you, Amelia Tucker.”

“Can I come with you?” A stray tear fell down her cheek, and Nick wiped it away with his index finger.

“No. Stay here with your dad. Make sure the guns in his gun cabinet are loaded and lock all the doors. Stay by the phone. I’ll call you when I know something.”

“Nick, maybe the cops will…”

He interrupted her, planting a deep kiss on her lips. Gently, he pushed her backward until she was up against the wall. His hands flowed through her soft hair and over her chest as his tongue danced inside her mouth. She tasted sweet and he found it hard to pull away. Burying his face in her neck, he took her delicate scent in, trailing his lips over her silky skin.

Looking into her beautiful eyes, Nick smiled. “I’ll have Noah home before the cops finish their donuts.” Pecking her on the lips, he stopped, cupped the back of her head, and said, “Hey.”

To his surprise, Amelia giggled. “Hey.”

“I love you. Noah and I will be home soon.”

“I love you too.”

Gathering his guns, he walked to his truck and slid them under the seat. He was certain that Sherriff Grady would be keeping an eye on him, too, and if he got stopped, he didn’t want to draw any attention to the firearms. As he climbed into the pickup he rolled the window down, and Amelia pulled his hand up to her mouth, kissing his palm.

“Be careful, Nick.”

Winking, he turned the key, and the diesel engine rumbled. “Always, babe.”

Putting it in gear, Amelia backed away and he drove down the long driveway, fighting hard to watch her in the rear view mirror. He had no idea what to expect. How dangerous were these guys? Hopefully he’d find out soon – he just had to find them first.