McCullen's Secret Son (The Heroes Of Horseshoe Creek Book 2) (8 page)

BOOK: McCullen's Secret Son (The Heroes Of Horseshoe Creek Book 2)
8.26Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

They were the only thing in the world that he had to live for.

Chapter Ten

Willow fought a sense of despair as they drove away from the prison. “Do you think Mr. Garcia is lying? Holding out for his share of that half million?”

Brett started the engine and drove through security. “I don’t know. I think there’s more to the story. If he thinks his partners, or Leo, are trying to cut him out, he probably would have taken the hundred thousand I offered him. That’s a lot of money for an ex-con.”

He was right. Which worried her even more. If Garcia didn’t know where the money was, how could
they
find it?

“Do you know the address of the house where Leo lived after you separated?” Brett asked.

Willow racked her brain. “I think I can find it. A few bills came after Leo left and I forwarded them to him.” She searched her phone, but she hadn’t entered it in the contact information.

Frantic, she accessed her notes section and scrolled through them. “Here it is. 389 Indian Trail Drive. It’s outside Cheyenne.”

“It’ll take us a while to get there,” Brett said. “I know you didn’t sleep last night, Willow. Close your eyes and rest while I drive.”

Willow looked out at the desolate countryside with the mountain ridges in the distance and the rocky barren land, and fresh tears threatened.

Where was her little boy? Was he cold or hungry? Were the men holding him taking care of him?

The storm clouds were thickening, growing darker. Sam would be getting anxious about the weather, about not coming home. He needed her.

* * *

B
RETT
WAITED
UNTIL
Willow’s breathing grew steady, and she’d fallen into a sound sleep. His phone buzzed again.
Kitty
.
Dammit
, she was persistent.

He ignored it and phoned his financial planner and manager, Frank Cotton.

“What’s up, Brett? Do you have some new investments you need handling?”

“Not exactly. I want you to see how much cash I can liquidate and how quickly.”

A tense silent moment passed. “You want
cash
? May I ask the reason? Are you planning a big trip somewhere? Are you purchasing property?”

No, but he might need to sell to Maddox. Only if he asked Maddox, his brother would want an explanation. He could approach Ray, but he doubted Ray had the money to buy him out.

“I’m not ready to discuss my plans yet,” Brett said. “But it’s important. And Frank, keep this matter confidential.”

“Brett, don’t tell me you knocked up some young girl.”

Brett ground his molars. Was that what Frank thought of him? What others thought about him? “Thanks for the vote of confidence, Frank, but it’s nothing like that. Just do what I ask and keep your mouth shut.” Furious, he hung up.

Snippets of his past flashed back. The rodeo groupies clamoring after him after his rides. Throwing themselves at him in hotels and bars. All wanting a piece of the celebrity.

Girls with no real clear dreams of their own, except to bag a man and live off his money.

Unlike Willow, who’d built her own life and was devoted to her little boy. Shy Willow who’d stolen his heart, but hadn’t made demands on him when the itch to leave Pistol Whip had called his name.

No wonder Frank thought he might have knocked up some young thing. He had left a trail of women across the states. But he didn’t remember their names or faces.

Only they’d filled that empty void in his bed, when he’d craved loving from a woman, and Willow wasn’t there.

His father’s praise for following his dreams echoed in his ears. He’d always thought he and his daddy were alike, that his father had regretted marrying and settling down so young. Had regretted being saddled with three boys to raise.

Brett had been determined not to make the same mistake.

But now he’d achieved success and fame, and plenty of money, but this past year he’d been restless as hell.

Lonely
.

How could he have been lonely, when all he had to do was walk into a bar and he’d have a pretty woman in his bed for the night?

He glanced over at Willow, and the answer hit him swift and hard. He was lonely because none of those women were Willow.

His phone buzzed.
Maddox
.

He took a deep breath and connected the call. “Yeah?”

“What the
hell
were you looking for on my computer?”

Brett gripped the steering wheel as he veered onto the highway toward Cheyenne. “I just needed to do some research. What’s the big deal?”

“The big deal is that you used my password to access police files. Why were you looking at arrest records?”

Brett’s temper flared. “You checked up on me?”

“I knew you were lying earlier, so I checked the browser history.” Maddox released an angry sigh. “Now tell me what you were doing? Are you in some kind of trouble?”

First Frank, now his brother. And here, he’d considered confiding in Maddox.

“Can’t you just trust me for once?” Brett snapped.

A heartbeat passed. Brett didn’t know if Maddox planned to answer.

“Listen, Brett, if you are in trouble, tell me. I know we don’t always see eye to eye, but I’ll see what I can do to help.”

Emotions twisted Brett’s chest. Would Maddox put himself on the line to help him?

Maybe, but he couldn’t take the chance. Not with Sam’s life.

“Actually I might need you to buy me out of the ranch.”

A longer silence this time, one that reeked of disappointment. “So that’s it? You made a fortune out there on the circuit, but you’ve blown it all. What are you into, Brett? Gambling? Women?”

His words cut Brett to the bone. “I’m not into anything.”

Maddox didn’t seem to hear him, though. “I knew you didn’t care about Dad or me or Ray, but I thought you might have some allegiance to Horseshoe Creek.”

His brother’s disgusted voice tore at Brett. He
did
care about all of them. And he wanted part of that land more than he’d realized. Horseshoe Creek was his home. His roots.

Where he’d always thought he’d return once his wild days ended. Of course, like a fool, he’d thought Willow would be waiting...

Maddox heaved a breath. “How soon would you need to be bought out?”

Brett’s gut churned. “As soon as possible.”

Maddox cursed. “All right. I’ll see what I can do. If I see Ray, I’ll mention it to him, in case he wants part of your share.”

Brett hated the thought of selling out to his brothers. Even more, he hated that Maddox thought he didn’t give a damn about Horseshoe Creek.

But if they didn’t locate the money Leo had stolen, he would sell his share in a heartbeat to save Willow’s son.

* * *

W
ILLOW
STIRRED
FROM
a restless sleep as Brett rolled to a stop in front of a small brick ranch house set off the road with a garage to the left and a barn out back. The house looked fairly well kept, although the barn was rotting and obviously wasn’t being used for farming.

“Was Leo living here with someone else?” Brett asked.

“I don’t know. It’s possible.”

Brett turned to her. “Were you the one who asked to get out of the marriage, Willow?”

“Yes.” She reached for the doorknob. “But he didn’t argue. He wanted out. That much was obvious.” Doris’s words echoed in her head. Leo needed a respectable wife so nobody in town would ask questions.

But respectable to
whom
? He hadn’t told his father about her or Sam.

“He was the fool for not wanting to be with you,” Brett murmured.

Willow swallowed hard. “You left me, too, Brett.” She regretted the words the moment she said them.

Brett’s eyes flickered with pain and truth of her statement.

“It doesn’t matter now,” Willow said. “All that matters is getting Sam back.”

Brett’s gaze latched with hers, and he started to say something, but she opened the door and hurried up the sidewalk. This was not the time for a personal discussion of the past.

That would come. But first she had to bring Sam home.

Brett caught up to her just as she punched the doorbell. He surveyed the property as if looking for signs of trouble. The door squeaked open, and a middle-aged woman in a nurse’s uniform appeared at the door. Behind her, Willow noticed a white-haired woman in a wheelchair.

“Can I help you?” the woman asked.

“My name is Willow James, and this is Brett McCullen.” Brett tipped his Stetson in greeting, and Willow forged ahead. “We’d like to talk to you, Miss...?”

“Eleanor Patterson,” the woman said. “What’s this about?”

Willow offered her a tentative smile. “I was married to a man named Leo Howard who lived in this house. How long have you lived here?”

“Just a few months. We needed a one-story, so we found this place.”

“Did you know Mr. Howard?” Brett asked.

Eleanor angled her head toward Brett, her eyes narrowed, then lighting up in recognition. “You look familiar.”

Brett’s handsome face slid into one of his charming smiles. “You might recognize me from the rodeo circuit, ma’am.”

She snapped her fingers. “That’s where it was. My goodness, you’re more handsome in person than you are in the magazines.”

Irritation nagged at Willow.

“Thanks,” Brett said with a smile. “Ma’am, we don’t mean to bother you, but did you know Leo Howard?”

“No, the house was vacant when the Realtor showed it to me.”

“Did the previous tenant leave anything here when he left?” Willow asked. “Maybe some boxes or papers.”

“I really don’t know.” Eleanor gestured toward the older woman in the chair. “Now if you’ll excuse me, it’s time for her medication.”

“Please think hard,” Willow said. “I’m looking for some important documents that I think he put somewhere.”

Eleanor looked back and forth between them, then sighed. “The house was basically empty, but now that I think about it, there were a few old boxes in the attic.”

“Would you mind if we take a look?” Brett gave her another flirtatious smile, and she waved him toward the hallway where a door led to an attic. Willow followed him, uneasy at the way the woman in the wheelchair watched them, as if she thought they intended to rob her.

Dust motes drifted downward and fluttered through the attic as they climbed the steps and looked across the dark interior. Three plain brown boxes were stacked against the far wall, a ratty blanket on top.

They crossed the space to them, and Brett set the first box on the floor. Willow opened it and began to dig through it while Brett worked on the second box. Flannel shirts, jeans and a dusty pair of work boots were stuffed in the box Willow examined, along with an old pocket watch that no longer worked, and a box of cigars.

Odd
. Leo hadn’t smoked.

“There’s a couple of fake IDs in here,” Brett said. “A few letters, it looks like from Doris, but Leo never opened them.”

Willow spotted another envelope in the box and removed it. Inside, she found several photographs. “Look at these.” She spread them out—a picture of Leo’s father, then Doris, then Gus Garcia and two other men. Were those Leo’s partners?

He slid another box over between them and lifted the top. Inside lay a .38 caliber gun and some ammunition. Beside it, he found another driver’s license under the name of Lamar Ranger, yet it bore Leo’s photo.

Oddly another pair of boots sat inside. Curious, Brett searched inside the boot but found nothing. Still wondering why the boots were stowed with the gun instead of the other box of clothes, he flipped the boots over and noticed one of the soles was loose.

“What is it?” Willow asked.

Brett removed his pocketknife and ripped the sole of the shoe off and found a folded piece of paper inside. He opened it and spread it on the floor, his heart thundering.

“A map.”

Willow leaned closer to examine it. “You think this map will lead us to the place where Leo stashed the money?”

“That’s exactly what I’m thinking.” He folded it and put it in his pocket, then set the gun and fake ID in one box to take with them. They might need them for evidence.

Willow brushed dust from her jeans as they descended the steps and shut the attic.

Eleanor appeared in the hallway, her brows furrowed. “Did you find what you were looking for?”

“Not really,” Brett said. “But we’re taking this one with us. The boots are special to Willow.”

Willow thanked her, then she and Brett hurried outside to his truck. She hoped Brett was right. If that map led them to the money, she could trade it for Sam and bring him back home where he belonged.

* * *

B
RETT

S
PULSE
HAMMERED
as he drove away from Eleanor’s. He waited until they’d reached the dirt road he’d seen on the map, then pulled over, unfolded it and studied it.

“Where is it?” Willow asked.

Brett pointed to the crude notations on the map. Symbols of trees and rocks in various formations that must be significant, signs that would lead the way to his hiding spot.

“If it’s there, and we find it,” Willow said, “maybe we can end this tonight.”

Brett gave a quick nod, although he was still worried that the kidnapper would hurt Sam.

He fired up the engine again, and turned onto the dirt road while Willow pointed out the landmarks.

“There’s the rock in the shape of a turtle.” A hundred feet down the road. “Those bushes, they form a ring.” Another mile. “There’s the creek.”

He made each turn, the distance growing closer until he spotted the ridge with water dripping over it creating a small waterfall. Willow tapped the map. “Hopefully it’s in this spot, hidden under the falls.”

Brett pulled over and parked, then got out. The shovels they’d used to bury Leo were still in the back, so he retrieved them and carried them along the trail to the ridge overhang.

Willow knelt and they both examined the wall of rock. She pointed to an etching of a star. “I think the money may be buried here.”

Brett propped one shovel by the rock and began to dig. Willow yanked her hair back into a ponytail, and jammed the second shovel into the dirt.

BOOK: McCullen's Secret Son (The Heroes Of Horseshoe Creek Book 2)
8.26Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

Other books

The Stillness of the Sky by Starla Huchton
A Spell of Winter by Helen Dunmore
The Last Days of New Paris by China Miéville
The Haunted Mask II by R. L. Stine
Seduction (Club Destiny) by Edwards, Nicole
Catching Genius by Kristy Kiernan
All Art Is Propaganda by George Orwell