Seeking Safety (13 page)

"I can find out about them if you want to
know if they are all right," offers Barry.

"Would you? I would love to know about them,
to know they are all right. It's been ten years."

"All I need is their full names and the last
address you have for them. I'll call Tom Christensen tomorrow. He
is a private investigator that Jacob uses on all his cases."

I give him the information he requested,
"Thank you so much Barry." I lean over and brush my lips across
his. The electric zing of sexual attraction takes us both by
surprise.

Gazing intently into my green eyes, Barry
slowly raises his palm to my cheek and lowers his mouth to mine.
When our lips touch we are both lost. Barry pulls me into his arms
and I wrap my arms around his neck tangling my fingers in the hair
at his nape and we both savor the taste of the other.

Pulling back slightly Barry says, "Oh Beth, I
have missed this so much." His heart is pounding as he lowers his
head and delves deeply into the recesses of my luscious mouth
drinking in my sweetness, lips clinging, tongues tangling, each
seeking to quench a thirst that is unquenchable. After long
minutes, he pulls away and pulls my head to his chest. His heart is
pounding heavily and his breathing is ragged. As our breathing
slowly returns to normal, he says, "Oh Beth, I have kissed some of
the most beautiful women in the world and not one of them has ever
affected me in the same the way you do. I feel like I could lose
myself in you."

"Oh Barry, you are so sweet to say that, but
I know I am not beautiful and could never compete with the
beautiful women in your world. I am just a plain, unsophisticated
girl who has spent the last ten years isolated in the backwoods of
Idaho. You are so far out of my league I can't even imagine being
your equal. I am not very experienced and I don't really even know
how to please a man."

"Beth, you are more beautiful than you
realize. Believe me, being sophisticated is not all it's cracked up
to be and your innocence is one of the things that attracts me to
you. Come on, I better walk you back to your room."

At my door, Barry brushes a brief kiss across
my lips, "Goodnight, Beth, sleep well."

Lying in bed that night Barry once again
thinks about the attraction he feels for Beth. He has heard Jacob
and Jason both talking about how the attraction to their wives was
so strong it literally scared them both to death. Well, that is
exactly how he feels about Beth. He is just not sure their lives
can ever be compatible. Until the danger to her and Michael is
completely over they can never go anywhere in public together. The
Paparazzi can be relentless and the danger would be too great. It
is best just to take things slowly and see what happens over the
next few months. Scoot did say something is in the works, he just
hopes it will resolve the issue once and for all. He would love for
Beth and Michael to be a part of his life forever.

******

I think back over the last few minutes with
Barry. I am very flattered but I can't believe he really meant the
things he said. I know I am not beautiful. Darren told me every day
how plain I am and how no man would ever want me when he was
through with me. But Barry sure knows how to kiss. Darren never
kissed me the way Barry does. He never created the feelings of
excitement deep down in my soul. Barry makes me feel beautiful,
even if I'm not. I truly believe I could kiss Barry forever and
never get tired of it.

I remember what he said about not caring if
he ever makes another movie. I don't believe that either. He is a
born movie star. In New York, Michael and I rented every movie we
could find starring Barry Farrady. The parts appear to have been
written just for him. He is a natural. He may be tired of the
Hollywood scene right now, but eventually he'll want to go back.
Michael and I can never go down that road. It would be too
dangerous.

I quickly settle into my new position as
housekeeper at the ranch and Michael is thrilled we are staying. He
loves living on the ranch. He is hoping that his Mom and Barry will
fall in love and get married so he never has to leave. He and Dani
have been talking about it and Dani told him about how her Dad and
Jana fell in love and got married. If his Mom were to marry Barry
he would have a Dad he can be proud of.
Please
God, I don't want to leave the ranch.

The new security fence and cameras are all up
and running at the Rocking J Ranch and the same security firm is
monitoring both ranches. No further incidents have occurred.

Bud, Pinky, or Goose goes with Michael and
Dani any time they go riding. The two are not allowed to go
anywhere alone and after the last time Michael is glad. He hopes he
never has to be alone with men from the compound ever again. He
feels safe when one of the Drake Security team is with them.

Both ends of the logging road have been
barricaded with heavy concrete barriers so that no vehicle can get
to the back side of either one of the ranches and the sheriff
regularly patrols all of the access roads around the area.

The reporter Michael identified as a member
of the militia is still hanging around at the gate though. Stump
has managed to infiltrate the group of reporters and is keeping a
close eye on his actions.

******

Late in the afternoon in the middle of July,
Scoot tracks Barry and me down in the barn where we were just
getting ready to go for a ride.

"Hey, you two, I'm really sorry but you are
going to have to postpone your ride. I had a call from the sheriff
a few minutes ago. Two of the known members of Calloway's militia
group were spotted in Cody this morning. He had them followed but
they managed to elude the tail about an hour ago. I recommend you
gather everyone together in the house so we can keep tabs on them
until we figure out what they are planning."

Scoots cell phone rings, "Scoot here."

Stump says, "We have two new faces out here
from the group."

"Keep me posted," says Scoot as he
disconnects. "They've turned up at the gate. Let's get ready."

Bud takes charge of the horses and Barry and
I go to the house to get everyone together.

Virginia prepares sandwiches and chips for a
light dinner and everyone gathers in the great room and tries to
relax.

"Beth, here is the derringer I gave you
before. Put it in your pocket just in case," requests Barry.

I place the derringer in my pocket and then
put my arms around Barry's waist and lay my head on his chest. He
enfolds me in his arms willing his strength to me. He holds me for
a few minutes then leads me to the sofa and sits down with me,
grasping my hand in his. Michael sits down on my other side and
puts his arms around me.

******

Bob Kenner is on his way back to the Rocking
J Ranch from picking up supplies in Cody when he sees a man he
knows from the feed store in town standing beside his truck on the
side of the highway with the hood up, a universal sign indicating
car trouble. He pulls his truck over to the side of the road to
offer his assistance. When he steps out of the truck he is
surprised when he is immediately surrounded by three men pointing
semi-automatic weapons at him.

He raises his hands in the air, "What's going
on? Tom, what are you doing? Who are these men?" Tom is the man
from the feed store.

"Just keep your mouth shut and do as you're
told and everything will be fine," answers Tom. "We just need your
help getting on to that movie star's ranch."

A cold chill runs down Bob Kenner's back.
These men are part of that militia group and they are after
Michael. His heart is pounding with trepidation. He takes a
steadying breath and calmly says, "Sure, what do you want me to
do?"

"We want you to get us past the security,
that's all and then you can go about your business," answers Tom.
Bob doubts that they will just let him walk away since he has seen
all off their faces but he can't think of anything to do except
take them to the ranch.

"Well, get in the truck, I'll take you in the
back gate, the one between the two ranches."

Bob climbs back in his truck and is joined by
the other four men with their weapons still pointed at him. He
pulls back out on the road and continues toward the Rocking J
Ranch. He is very nervous and his brain is frantically trying to
figure out what he can do to resolve this situation.

******

Standing just inside the tree line along the
road where the men kidnapped Bob Kenner, Stump calls Scoot,

"They have Bob Kenner, four members. They
tricked him into stopping and took him at gunpoint. He is going to
take them through the back gate onto Barry's ranch. I'm miles away,
I won't be much help."

"Thanks Stump, we'll handle it from this
end," replies Scoot.

Scoot calls Jacob Murray to tell him about
Bob being a hostage and to request him to get his family all inside
their house to safety. He sends Bud, his wife Mary, and the two
ranch hands to the main ranch house where Bud takes everyone down
to the weight room in the basement and bolts the door. Barry had
the room reinforced to withstand a bomb blast during the
renovations and it is stocked with non-perishable food and water
for emergencies.

Then Scoot, Barry, Pinky, and Goose take
positions around the yard at the main house. They don't want to put
Bob Kenner in any danger if possible so they will wait and
watch.

When Bob Kenner drives up to the main gate
that will take him onto the Rocking J Ranch he enters the security
code which indicates an emergency but still allows him entry. As he
pulls through the gate he knows that all of the security forces and
the local sheriff will be notified of an emergency at the ranch. As
he drives past the barn toward the gate between the two ranches he
wonders if someone has already notified Jacob and Jason because he
doesn't see anyone anywhere around which is unusual. His heart is
pounding with trepidation.

As Bob's truck passes through the yard toward
the back gate, Jacob calls Scoot. "They are on their way, he just
passed our house. It looked like four men besides Bob in the
truck."

"Thanks, Jacob. I'll let you know when it's
all clear," replies Scoot.

After the truck passes, Jacob and Jason grab
their hunting rifles and follow on horseback staying far enough
back so as not to be seen.

When the truck drives up to the gate between
the two ranches, Bob wonders about the guard that usually monitors
the gate. He's nowhere around so Bob lowers the window to enter the
access code. That is when he notices the specks on the horizon in
his side view mirror. Jacob and Jason, he hopes these men don't
notice them. He enters the security code, drives through the gate,
and stops.

"All right, this is Barry's ranch. What
now?"

The man in the front seat asks, "How far is
it to the house from here?"

Bob answers, "I guess it's about two or three
miles."

"Drive toward the house, we'll tell you when
to stop," says the man who seems to be in charge. Bob continues to
drive down the road toward Barry's house.

About a half mile from the house the man
says, "Stop here." He signals two of the men to exit the truck.
Once they are out of the truck and moving around to opposite sides
of the house, the man says, "Okay, drive." When they get to within
a hundred yards and have a clear view of the house the man says,
"Stop here. Call him."

"Call who?" asks Bob pretending ignorance.
His heart is pounding with apprehension.

"Call the movie star. Tell him to send the
boy and his mother out. They are the only ones we care about," says
the man.

As they have been driving across the pasture
a large herd of cattle has been following and when they stop and
are sitting in the truck, the herd of cattle begins gathering
around the truck. The man in the front seat asks, "What's going on?
What's with all the cows?"

Bob explains, "I imagine they think we are
going to feed them. That's usually why they gather around a
vehicle. I'll get rid of them." He opens the truck door, climbs
down, and starts trying to herd the cows away from the truck. As he
moves to the back of the truck away from the men, he falls to the
ground. Multiple shots ring out and the truck is riddled with
bullets killing the two men inside. As the Drake Security team
advances toward the truck Bob is crawling away on his stomach in
the dirt. When the shots were fired the cattle scattered and he is
out in the open and doesn't know the status of the men in the truck
or the two that got out earlier.

Once the members of the Drake Security team
verify the two men in the truck are deceased, Scoot says, "All
clear, Bob."

Bob says, "Two more of them are around here
somewhere. They got out of the truck about a half mile back."

Scoot says, "We have it under control. The
security guards stopped them as soon as you were out of sight."

Relieved, Bob stands up brushing the dirt off
his clothes. He walks back toward the truck where he is met by
Scoot who asks, "Are you all right? They didn't hurt you did
they?"

Shaking his head, Bob replies, "No, but I was
plenty scared. It's not fun having four semi-automatics pointed at
you." Bob is relieved that his predicament is resolved.

"I'm really sorry about your truck. I'll see
that it gets replaced. That was pretty smart telling them you would
get rid of the cattle. I was relieved to see you exit the truck and
give us a clear shot." Scoot explains.

"Well, that's why I hit the ground. I didn't
want to get hit by a stray bullet or one that ricocheted," laughs
Bob. "When I didn't see anyone around the barn at the Rocking J and
then the guard that is usually at the gate between the two ranches
was nowhere to be found, I figured you had gotten advance notice of
my predicament and were ready and waiting."