RESCUE AT CARDWELL RANCH (14 page)

“I’m not—”

“Have you talked to her?”

Hayes gave up denying his mood had nothing to do with McKenzie. “She sounds like she is back at work and doing fine.”

“And you probably told her you are back at work, too, and doing fine, right?”

He made a face at his brother. “She’s happy with her life.”

“Is that what she told you? Hayes, do you know anything about women?”

He had to laugh. “Not really. But I’m not sure you’re the man to give me advice. Have you dated a woman more than once?”

“Very funny. One of you has to say it.”

“Say what?”

Laramie groaned. “That you’re in love. That is the problem, you know. You’ve fallen for the woman.” He raised a hand. “Don’t even bother to deny it. The question now is what are you going to do about it? Mope around and feel sorry for yourself or go get your woman?”

Hayes started to tell him how off base he was, but he saved his breath. “Just fly up there and go riding in on my white horse? Then what? I have a house, an office and a job here in Houston.”

“Are you serious? You would let a simple stumbling block like those things keep you from what you really want? What did you do with my brother Hayes who has always gone after what he wants?”

“I’ve just never wanted anything this badly and I don’t even know if I can have her,” he admitted and not easily.

“Only one way to find out. Better saddle up and get yourself back to Montana.” Laramie picked up the phone. “Take the corporate jet. I’ll have the pilot standing by.”

* * *

“M
S
. S
HELDON
?”
He couldn’t believe she was actually in her office, actually on the other end of the line. “I’m so glad to catch you in your office.”

He’d been following the story about Eric Winters in the newspaper and on the evening television news. The man hadn’t even been able to get out on bail. And now they were saying he could be a serial killer, having abducted and killed women all across the West. McKenzie must feel so safe, believing her attacker was finally behind bars.

“My wife and I are interested in seeing one of your houses. I was hoping you would be able to show us the residence as soon as possible. My wife was very impressed by you when we met you a while back. I told her I would see if you were free to show the house yourself. I know you own M.K. Realty.” He’d learned that acknowledging that he knew who he was dealing with often worked.

“When were you thinking of seeing the house?” she asked, even though he could tell she had been ready to give him to someone else at the agency.

“My wife is very anxious. She doesn’t want this house to get snatched up by someone else. I would imagine that now is too soon?” He heard her surprise. Before she could draw a breath, he said, “It’s the one you have listed as executive, high-end home with a million-dollar view.”

“I’m familiar with the house.”

“I believe it also has a several-million-dollar price tag. I can’t tell you what I would have to contend with if we lost it before my wife even got a chance to see it.”

“We can’t have that,” she said and he knew he had her. “I suppose I could show the house in, say, an hour?”

“I really appreciate this. My wife and I will meet you out there, if that is all right.” This was working out even better than he’d hoped.

“I look forward to it. I’m sorry. I didn’t catch your name.”

“It’s Jason. Jason and Emily Mathews.”

“Yes, I remember we met at several of my showings.” She sounded uneasy and he knew he had to mention the murder.

“I was so sorry to hear about your colleague being killed. That was such a shock. I’m glad the murderer has been caught. You just don’t expect that kind of thing in Montana.”

“It’s rare, fortunately,” she said and quickly changed the subject. “I’ll see you soon, then, Mr. Mathews.”

“Please call me Jason.”

Chapter Fourteen

The moment McKenzie got off the phone she walked over to one of the cubicles.

“Jennifer, would you be able to take one of my showings this afternoon?”

The real-estate agent looked up in surprise. McKenzie had never asked any of them to take her showings until this moment.

The woman blinked then said, “I’d be happy to. Are you not feeling well?”

McKenzie almost laughed. “It’s just that I have one before it that could take a while. Also I don’t want you going alone. See if Rafe can go with you. I’ve decided from now on, we won’t be showing houses alone if at all possible, but definitely any that could run over after dark.”

“But aren’t you showing one now alone?” Jennifer asked tentatively.

“It will be all right this one time. I’m meeting a man and his wife at the Warner place.”

“I’m sure Rafe can go with me.”

“Great. Thanks for doing this.” As she walked back to her office, McKenzie felt relieved. She had the other showing covered and after today, she would start relying more on her staff. If being gone had taught her anything, it was that she was not indispensible. For so long, she’d thought she had to do everything herself and yet when she’d returned after being gone for a week, she found that the agency was doing just fine.

There’d been numerous calls for follow-ups on houses she’d shown, but her staff had taken care of all but a couple of them. One of those was probably Mr. and Mrs. Mathews. Jason Mathews came across as the kind of man who only dealt with the boss or owner. Well, she was taking care of that one now.

McKenzie felt as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders and at the same time, she couldn’t help feeling a little sad. She hadn’t heard from Hayes other than a quick phone call from the airport after he’d landed in Houston.

She’d gotten an agency call she’d had to take so she’d been forced to cut the call with Hayes short. When she’d tried to call him back, she’d gotten his voice mail. She hadn’t left a message. What was there to say?

He’d asked how it felt to be back at work. She’d lied and said, “Great.”

She’d asked him if he was glad to be home. He’d said he was.

That pretty much covered anything they had to say to each other, didn’t it?

Outside her office, dark clouds had moved in. Thunder rumbled in the distance. The weatherman had warned that they might get some summer storms over the next few days.

Packing up her things, she headed for the door, also surprising her staff. She was always the first one in the office and the last to leave. As she walked out to her car in daylight, she couldn’t help thinking of Hayes and Cardwell Ranch.

Was Hayes missing it and her as much as she was him? She pushed the thought away. She’d see him next month for Tag’s wedding. The thought lightened her step even when it began to rain.

* * *

H
E
WAS
WAITING
for her. Anticipation had his heart racing. He’d failed once. He couldn’t let that happen again.

Arriving early, he’d waited and gone over all the things that could go wrong. She might see that he hadn’t brought his wife and panic, taking off before he could stop her. Or she might send someone else. Maybe even more possible, she might bring an associate.

He just couldn’t let anything happen that would allow her to get away. Again.

He’d taken even more precautions since his failure with her the first time. He’d secured a place for them nearby. He couldn’t chance transporting her any distance. Knowing Ms. Sheldon the way he did, she would be one of those women who got loose in the trunk, broke out a taillight and signaled for help.

Another precaution he was taking was knocking her out quickly. He’d opted to use a drug. He couldn’t take the chance he might hit her too hard and kill her before all the fun began. It felt like cheating, drugging her, but he’d lost her once. That wasn’t going to happen again. That’s why he’d carefully chosen this huge monster of a house in the middle of the valley—and the abandoned house through the trees, only a short walk away.

Normally, he just dragged them out into the woods. But McKenzie Sheldon wasn’t getting his quick and dirty usual fare. No, she was going to get the full treatment and that meant he would need a room inside a house.

He’d found one near the house he’d told her he wanted to view. He was counting on her not telling anyone where she was going. He was counting on it, based on the fact that she was the boss and that she would no longer be afraid since as far as she knew, her attacker was still behind bars.

The hard part would be getting her away from this house quickly and to their private spot. He would have to act fast, taking her in her car then coming back for his own car.

At the sound of a vehicle approaching, he tensed. McKenzie Sheldon was right on time. He checked the syringe in his pocket. Now, if she was alone, then nothing could stop him. He carefully adjusted the large straw hat balanced on the back of the passenger seat. From a distance it would appear his wife was sitting in the car waiting.

He glanced in his rearview mirror. It was McKenzie and she was alone. He smiled excitedly as he opened his car door and stepped out. All he needed was a few precious seconds and she’d be his.

* * *

H
AYES
THOUGHT
ABOUT
what his brother had said on the flight to Montana in the corporate jet. He also thought about McKenzie Sheldon’s well-ordered life.

Like him, his career had taken up the greater part of his life. But that, he realized now, was because there hadn’t been anything else that had interested him.

Now, his career, as important as it was, wasn’t the first thing he thought of when he awakened in the morning. But was that true of McKenzie?

He’d seen her checking the messages on her phone, especially after a few days at the ranch. She’d been worried about her business. Not that he could blame her. She’d been such a major part of the agency he doubted she thought it could survive without her.

Hayes called McKenzie’s office the moment the jet touched down outside of Bozeman, but was told she’d left work early.

“Have you tried her home?” the receptionist asked when he gave her his name. Word must have gone around the office that she’d spent almost a week with him up the canyon at Cardwell Ranch.

“She’s already gone home?”

The receptionist laughed at his surprise. “I know it isn’t like her. She even asked one of the associates to show a house for her this afternoon. We all thought she might have a date or something.”

A date? He heard the woman try to swallow back her words.

“I mean we thought she was going out with you.” Another gulp. “Is there a message I can give her if I hear from her?”

“No.” He’d disconnected, wondering what he was doing flying to Montana. A
date?

Well, what do you expect?
he asked himself.
It wasn’t as if you asked her to wait for you or even told her how you felt.

Still, he hadn’t been gone
that
long.

He tried her cell but it went to voice mail. On impulse, he called the office back and asked to speak to the sales associate who McKenzie had gotten to cover for her.

“This is Jennifer Robinson.”

Hayes introduced himself and asked if she knew whether or not McKenzie was showing a house.

“She is, the Warner place.”

That was the McKenzie Sheldon he knew, he thought with a sigh of relief. “Can you tell me how to find the Warner place? If she just left, I might be able to catch her.”

* * *

M
C
K
ENZIE
SAW
THE
large, newer-model expensive car parked by the house as she came up the drive.

Jason Mathews got out as she approached. She remembered him from the open house where Gus was killed. For a moment, she almost drove on through the circular drive and left.

You have nothing to fear. Your attacker was caught.
Not only that, he brought his wife, right? As she glanced to the passenger seat, she saw a large summer straw hat and remembered that Emily Mathews was a tiny woman. Relief washed over her.

For a moment, though, she was sorry she hadn’t brought another agent with her. Her heart just wasn’t in this, even though the sale would mean a very large commission. This was one of a number of houses in this area that the bank was anxious to get sold after a rash of foreclosures.

Having two agents go on every showing wasn’t the best use of manpower. Also, she knew the nonlist agent would complain about losing money. Still, she wanted her agents to be safe and she would have gladly shared the commission.

Shutting off the car, she turned toward the passenger seat to dig the house keys out of her purse. To her surprise, her car door opened. She turned, startled to find Jason Mathews standing next to her car.

“I appreciate you taking the time to do this today,” he said.

She tried to find her voice as she told herself he was just being polite, opening her door like that. “Just let me get the keys.”

As she picked them up, she gripped them like a knife. Hayes’s words came back to her that keys weren’t much of a weapon because by then the attacker would be too close. Women lost their advantage up close because they were often the weaker sex.

At that moment, she was sorry she’d given Hayes back the pistol she used to have in her purse. She still had the can of pepper spray, but it would be in the bottom of her purse, not easily accessible.

All these thoughts hit her in a matter of seconds before Jason Mathews said, “I’ll get Emily. She is anxious to see this house. Great location since she likes the idea of no neighbors within view.”

He stepped away from the car and McKenzie felt herself breathe again. She chastised herself as she climbed out, dragging her purse out after her.

As she headed toward the house, she saw that Mr. Mathews was leaning into the car talking to his wife. For a woman who was anxious to see the house, she certainly was taking her time getting out of the car.

McKenzie headed for the front door of the house, just assuming the two would follow. Whatever discussion was going on between them, she didn’t want to eavesdrop.

When her cell phone rang, she stopped partway up the wide front steps to dig the phone out of her purse. Busy thinking about Mrs. Mathews and hoping this hadn’t been a wild goose chase, she didn’t bother to check to see who was calling. “Hello?”

“McKenzie Sheldon? This is Officer Pamela Donovan with the Bozeman Police Department. I don’t want to alarm you.”

Alarm her?
Surprised, she didn’t hear Jason Mathews come up behind her until she felt the needle he plunged into her neck.

* * *

H
AYES
’
S
RENTAL
CAR
was waiting for him with the map inside just as he had requested. The Warner place, as Jennifer had called it, was about five miles outside of town to the south.

That meant it was at least fifteen miles from the airport. The worst part was the traffic. While nothing like Houston’s, he’d managed to hit the valley during the afternoon rush hour. Just his luck.

He’d left a message with both Jennifer and the receptionist to have McKenzie call him if they heard from her. That’s why when his phone rang he thought it would be her.

He was thrown for a moment when he realized the female voice on the other end of the line was the policewoman who’d worked with McKenzie after her attack.

“Yes, I remember you, Ms. Donovan.”

“I just tried to reach Ms. Sheldon.”

It was the worry he heard in her voice. “Is there a problem?”

“I didn’t want to alarm her, but there is some news about the man we arrested in her attack. It might not mean anything—”

“What is it?” he asked as he drove toward the Gallatin Range of mountains to the south.

“McKenzie Sheldon isn’t with you, by any chance, is she?” the policewoman asked.

“No. I was just on my way to the house she’s showing. Why?”

He heard her hesitate before she said, “I just tried to reach her. We were cut off.”

Unconsciously, he found himself driving a little faster. “Why were you trying to reach her?” Again the pause. “Officer—”

“There is some question whether or not the man we have in jail for her attack is guilty,” the deputy finally said. “I can’t get into it, but the dates of the other abductions aren’t adding up for him and there is some question about the evidence we found in his house.”

His heart pounded. “The dates. They don’t add up for him, but they do for someone else, someone who was at the open house where Gus Thompson was killed, right?”

“When we went to bring Jason Mathews in for questioning, his wife told us that he’d had to leave town for a few days.”

Hayes swore under his breath. “I was told at McKenzie’s office that she was showing a house to a husband and wife.” He prayed that was true and that the man sans the wife wasn’t Jason Mathews. “I’m on my way there now.” He gave her the directions he’d been given.

“We’ll have a patrol car there as soon as possible.”

Disconnecting, he drove as if his life depended on it, all the time mentally kicking himself for ever leaving. Worse, for never telling McKenzie how he felt about her.

* * *

M
C
K
ENZIE
WOKE
TO
darkness. She tried to open her eyes but her lids felt too heavy. For a moment she couldn’t remember anything. She cracked an eyelid open as she attempted to move. Her hands were bound with duct tape at the wrists in front of her, her feet were bound at the ankles and she was strapped to a wheelchair.

A shot of adrenaline rocketed through her as memory came back in a wave of nausea. The prick of the needle, the horror of what was happening as she slumped against Jason Mathews, the fleeting glimpse of the empty car except for the carefully positioned summer straw hat on the back of the passenger seat.