Ranch Refuge

* * *

Laura’s mind raced. Sleep was impossible. Thoughts of the night’s events kept playing over and over again, reminding her that she was in a stranger’s home. How had she just gotten into the man’s truck and driven away with him? Away from everything and everyone familiar to her? Yes, she’d been under attack. Those men had been out to get her. But how did she know Colton Blackwell wasn’t one of Randall’s men, as well? For all she knew, his intervention had been planned, premeditated, to get her right where Randall wanted her—alone, frightened, vulnerable...and looking for a hero.

She stopped that line of thinking before she made herself crazy. Randall’s men had been after her and Colton had rescued her. She’d acted on instinct, going along with him because she’d had no choice. But that didn’t mean she had to remain with him now that the moment of danger had passed.

She picked up the phone to call for help, then realized she had no idea where she was...except for the city. Compton. That was, of course, assuming he’d been telling her the truth. She couldn’t trust him. After all, the only thing she knew about Colton Blackwell was that he’d said he had been watching her. What if he was worse than Randall? There was no telling what this man wanted from her.

Certainly she’d been acting purely on adrenaline before. But now that she’d had plenty of time to digest what was happening, she realized she had to get away from him. Now. Tonight. She would sneak out and flag down a car for help.

She slipped back into her shoes and quietly unlocked the bedroom door. Opening it softly, she walked to the top of the stairs and peeked down. The house looked dark except for the dim light above the kitchen range. She glanced at the sofa bed where Colton said he would be sleeping and saw a figure wrapped in a blanket. Now was her time to escape—while he was asleep. Hopefully she would be well out of his grasp before he awakened in the morning.

She tiptoed across the floor and quietly pulled open the door.

“Don’t move!” Colton hollered, leaping from the sofa bed and pointing a gun at her.

“Please don’t hurt me,” Laura cried out. Her heart raced with fear at the sight of Colton’s gun trained on her. This only confirmed what she’d been afraid of: Colton Blackwell was not her friend.

He flipped on the light and the intensity of his expression fell. “Laura, I nearly shot you.” Lowering the gun, he rasped, “What are you doing?”

She pressed herself against the door and tried to breathe. No telling what he might do to her now that he’d caught her trying to sneak away. Would he continue with the charade of trying to protect her? She struggled to find her voice against the rapid shaking of her muscles. “Please, just let me go. I won’t tell anyone who you are.” Tears streamed down her face. “Please. I just want to go home.”

His expression softened and he nodded. “Okay, Laura. Okay.” He placed the gun on the table and then turned to her. “I’m not going to hurt you. I only want to help you.”

But all the reasons why she couldn’t trust him kept flittering through her mind. She didn’t know him. She didn’t know his intentions. How could she really believe him? And why would someone like him want to help someone like her?

He gave a resigned sigh. “Let’s try this another way.” He grabbed the truck keys from the end table and held them out to her. “Take these. Take the truck. Take my phone. Call your father and confirm my story, but don’t tell him where you are. If he knows, Randall could force him to tell.” He pulled cash from his wallet. “Take this money. Find a hotel and hole up there for a few days. But don’t go home, Laura. You’re not safe at home.”

The keys shook in her hand. “You...you’re letting me go?”

“You’re not my prisoner. If you don’t want my protection, fine. I get it. You don’t know me. If this is the only way you’ll allow me to help you, then take it.”

She turned and ran to the truck, certain he would be right behind her to stop her, certain this was all a sick trick to make her trust him. But he was offering her a way out and she was going to take it.

She climbed into the truck and started the engine. Colton was still on the porch, standing, watching her, making no move to stop her. She jammed the truck into gear and sped up the drive. She saw him in the mirror, still watching, making no move to stop her or to follow her.

She stopped at the end of the drive. The house was no longer visible and the darkness of the road stretched in front of her. She had no idea where she was going or what she was going to do. Her pulse was slowing; fear of the unknown replacing her need to flee. If she left Colton, she had no idea what she was getting into. Randall and his men were still coming for her, and if they’d tried to abduct her once, they would do it again.

She leaned against the steering wheel as confusion confounded her. Was it really possible that Colton was just who he’d said he was and that all he wanted was to help her? All she knew for certain was that bad men were after her and that Colton had done nothing but protect her from them.

She glanced at his cell phone on the seat beside her. Colton had said her father had hired him and that would be easy enough to confirm. She picked up his phone and recognized her dad’s number listed under his recent calls.

She pressed the number and waited. He answered on the third ring.

“Dad, something happened tonight.”

“I know, Laura. Colton already called me. Are you okay, honey?”

“I—I don’t know. Who is this guy, Dad? How do I know I can trust him?”

There was a long pause. “You can trust him, Laura. I believe he really wants to help.”

“I can’t believe this is happening,” she snapped. “I can’t believe you did this to me.”

She heard the catch in his voice as he rushed to apologize. “Laura, I’m sorry. I never thought this would happen.”

She caught herself before she said what she was really thinking. You never thought about me, only about yourself.

“Well, it’s a little too late for regrets now, don’t you think?”

“Laura, please, I—”

Satisfied that the army ranger had indeed been hired by her father and unwilling to stomach any more of Bill Jackson’s lame excuses, Laura clicked off the phone.

She needed to trust Colton Blackwell—and pray he was the good guy he appeared to be.

Taking a deep, bolstering breath, she put the truck into Reverse, turned around and headed back toward the house.

He was still on the porch, barefoot, his dark hair disheveled, as if he’d been running his hands through it. He’d obviously not made a move even to put his boots on. She pulled up to the porch and stopped the truck.

She stared at him through the open window, glad she’d returned, because no matter what her overly analytical mind said, she needed to trust this man with her life.

* * *

She was shivering when Colton led her into the house. He doubted it was from the slight breeze in the night air, though, as much as the threats against her. He ushered her into the kitchen and pulled out a chair. She sat watching him as he turned on the coffee and let it brew, then lowered his large, muscular frame into an adjacent chair and got down to business. “Let’s talk about who is after you, Laura. Your father already gave me the basics, but I’d like to hear it from you. Who were those men tonight?”

Her chin quivered as the weight of her situation settled into her. “They work for a man named Chuck Randall.”

“The loan shark?”

“You know him?”

Colton knew him well. He’d had dealings with him once or twice back in his gambling days. “I’ve heard of him. He prowls the casinos in River City looking for souls desperate enough to utilize his services. But what does he want with you?”

Her face reddened and she lowered her head, shame coloring her face. “My father is indebted to him.”

“And he wants to use you as leverage to get your father to pay?”

“Not exactly. It started with him wanting me to cover my dad’s bills. I refused, but he kept hassling me. He threatened me. He said my father would die if I didn’t pay. Finally he said he would wipe out my father’s debt if I did something for him.”

“What does he want you to do, Laura?” Colton asked, his face already grim in anticipation of her response.

A sob caught in her throat and her calm began to unravel. Her hands shook and he could see voicing the truth was painful and bitter. “He wants me to marry him. And if I don’t, he will kill my father.”

Colton was stunned. This went beyond just getting payment for gambling debts. It had already escalated into something much more sinister. Money could be paid back, but if Randall had set his eyes on Laura and she’d rebuked him, she could be in real danger.

“I tried to tell him I wasn’t interested, but his advances only got worse. He phoned me constantly. He sent me flowers and gifts. He even showed up at my work. I begged him to leave me alone. Why would he want someone who doesn’t want him?”

Colton wasn’t surprised. “Randall is used to getting whatever he wants. He’s used to owning people through his money. It’s about power. When he couldn’t control you with money or threats or gifts, he became obsessed with having you. He sent men after you, which means either he’s decided to take you by force or else he wants you to pay for what he would consider the ultimate betrayal.”

She shuddered, rightly frightened by the situation she was in, and he had the sudden urge to take her into his arms and comfort her. He pushed back that feeling and instead steeled himself with determination to keep her safe from Randall and his crazy demands.

“How do I convince him to stop? I’ll give him the money. I’ll pay him whatever he wants to leave me alone.”

“You can’t, Laura. It’s no longer about money. It’s about control.”

She shuddered again and he rushed to reassure her, placing his hand over hers and relishing the softness of her skin. “I told you, Laura, this is what I do, and I’m good at my job. Don’t worry. We’ll find you a way out of this mess.”

She turned those wide green eyes full of hope on him. He’d seen situations like this before and knew they didn’t often work out well, but he didn’t let that sway his resolve. He would keep her safe no matter what it took.

“What about my father?”

“Randall will put pressure on him to uncover your whereabouts, but he can’t tell what he doesn’t know. Bill doesn’t know where I live. I never even told him my last name. Did you call him?”

“Yes,” she replied.

Narrowing his eyes, he gave her a look. “You didn’t tell him where you are, did you?”

“No, I didn’t tell him.”

* * *

She shivered at the thought that Randall might hurt her dad just to get to her. A tear slipped from her eye. She wiped it away quickly. The last thing she wanted was for Colton to feel sorry for him.

“You’re worried about him?” he asked gently.

She pushed away that worry and shook her head. She was done crying for him. “He brought this on me. He placed my life in danger so he could try for his next big score. He stopped thinking of me as a daughter a long time ago.”

“Gambling is just like any other drug. It’s a crutch—”

Laura stopped him before he continued. She was sure he meant well, but she’d heard it all before. “Spare me the ‘gambling is an addiction’ spiel, Colton. I can’t tell you how many people have tried to tell me my dad has a sickness and that he can’t help himself. I tried to help him. I tried everything I knew to do to help him, but he didn’t want my help.” Her anger rising, she blew out a frustrated breath. “All he wanted from me was another handout, and when I stopped giving them, he stopped coming around. I’m sorry for the hole he’s dug himself into, but now he’s dragged me into it with him, and if only one of us can get out of it, it’s going to be me. I won’t continue to let his problem control me.”

She turned away from him, walked back into the den and plopped down on the couch, sinking into the cushions and hoping Colton wouldn’t continue to try to justify her father’s actions. She needed to stay mad at her dad. It was the only thing that was holding her together. But if Colton kept pulling at that string, her entire demeanor might unravel. She couldn’t let that happen. She wouldn’t do herself any good if she became a hysterical mess.

Colton obviously took the hint. “It’s late and I realize you haven’t had anything to eat since you got off work. Why don’t I whip you up some eggs?”

She appreciated all he’d done for her, all he was trying to do for her, but there was no point in him cooking for her. She hadn’t eaten since her lunch break, now nearly eight hours ago, but the pit in her stomach would prevent her from keeping anything down. “I appreciate the thought, but I’m just going to go upstairs and try to get some sleep.”

He was by her side in an instant. “Laura, I’m sorry if I upset you.” His handsome face was full of kindness and concern. For one crazy moment she imagined stepping into his embrace and weeping against his strong shoulders. But that was only a pipe dream.

“None of this is your fault, Colton. In fact, you’re the one bright spot in all of this.”

In fact, she didn’t know what she would have done without him and his intervention. She should never have doubted him. She’d prayed for a way out of this mess, and God had sent her Colton. For that, she was grateful, although she would have preferred that God make the entire mess go away so she could continue on with her life.

Would she ever have a normal life again? She realized she’d taken normalcy for granted when she’d had it. When her mom had gotten sick and died, her father had turned to the casinos for comfort. Laura’s life had not been the same since.

She longed for the assurance of a job where no one knew how dysfunctional her family was, and the stability of a home that didn’t include having to sneak out in the middle of the night because her dad had gambled away the rent money. Mostly, she longed for a loving relationship. That one day she’d have someone who would stand beside her and share her burdens, and she could share his... A lump rose to her throat. But who would ever want to share the burdens she carried? Any man in his right mind would run screaming for the hills when he discovered her twisted family ties.

She swallowed hard, determined not to let her vulnerability show. For now, she had Colton, and she would take what she could get for as long as she could. Because eventually he would realize the depth of the hole her father had dug for her, and he would realize the futility of trying to help her out of it. He would be gone, just like the rest, because the load she carried was too heavy for anyone else to bear.

He stopped her before she reached the stairs. “Laura, we all make choices that have consequences. Some of those consequences are worse than others. I’m sure your father never meant to do anything to cause you harm.”

“He’s getting what he deserves. He brought this on, not me. I can’t concern myself with him right now.” She rushed up the stairs and locked herself in the bedroom before the tears began to fall.

* * *

Colton leaned against the sink. Laura might as well have punched him in the gut. It felt the same. Her words had hit him. Hard. She didn’t know it, but she could have been talking about him when she’d spoken about her father. She was a living, breathing, in-your-face reminder of all the people he’d hurt through his dark time.

If she knew the truth about his past, she would turn tail and run as far from him as she could get...and then Chuck Randall would get to her.

But if Colton could rescue her, then maybe he could gain a bit of redemption, too.

TWO

Laura’s eyes fluttered open. Sunlight filtered in through the curtain. She lifted up onto her elbows and glanced at the bedside clock. It was already afternoon. She’d slept most of the day and had to admit she felt rested for the first time in a long while.

She owed it to Colton and his presence. But even though she felt safe here, she knew she couldn’t afford to let her guard down. She heard his voice from outside her window. Glancing out, she saw him walking toward the barn, several dogs following along behind him. She raised the window and heard him talking to them. It caused her to smile that he talked to his dogs. She liked that about him. Then her face reddened as she realized that wasn’t all she liked about Colton. She enjoyed the way his shirt pulled tight against him, revealing broad shoulders and muscles for decades.

Transfixed, she watched him kneel and pet one of the dogs that jumped up on him, rubbing him affectionately. He suddenly glanced her way. She reddened again, this time at being caught staring. But he good-naturedly raised his hand in a wave to her.

She moved away from the window. Trusting Colton to keep her safe was one thing, but finding herself drawn to the man was another. Still, she couldn’t deny the attraction. But then, why wouldn’t she be affected? A good-looking man had swooped in and rescued her from the bad men. Her feelings were probably natural, but she couldn’t act on them. She didn’t have a great track record with men. Her last serious relationship had ended ugly, causing her to realize the idiom that girls fall in love with men like their fathers wasn’t just a saying. It was true. Lance liked the casinos as much as her father did. Once she’d realized this, she’d quickly ended the relationship. She already had one gambler in her life and certainly didn’t need another.

* * *

Before she went downstairs, she took a few moments to phone her neighbor Mrs. Duncan. Laura told her she was going to be out of town for a few days and asked her to check in on her cat, Misty, and to make sure she had food. Mrs. Duncan agreed and wished her a good trip. Laura hated not being honest with her, but she thought this was the best way. Colton hadn’t even wanted her to phone, but she couldn’t go into hiding while her kitty starved.

Next, she called her friend Denise Jenkins, another nurse in the ER. She wanted to let her know she was safe and ask her to pass along the message to the nurse manager that she’d had to go out of town unexpectedly, so they could remove her from the work schedule and find someone to cover her upcoming shifts.

Denise sounded groggy when she answered and Laura remembered that her friend had worked the graveyard shift. She’d begun her shift while Laura was finishing hers. Laura glanced at the clock and realized her friend had probably just gotten home and into bed an hour or so ago.

“Denise, it’s Laura. Are you awake?”

“I am now,” she moaned. “Why are you calling me so early? You know I just got off work.”

“I know. I wouldn’t have called, but it’s important. Something happened last night. A group of men tried to abduct me in the employee parking lot.”

“What!” Denise’s voice cleared and Laura could tell she was now fully alert. “Are you okay? Are you being held captive? Should I call the police?”

“No, no. I’m fine. Another man was there and he rescued me. I’m safe, but I don’t think I’m going to be returning to River City for a while.”

“Did you go to the police? Did they find the guys who tried to get you?”

“No, we didn’t go to the police. You know this wasn’t a random kidnapping attempt. Randall sent those men to grab me.”

She had told Denise about her father’s gambling debts and Randall’s insistence she pay, but not the rest—the horrible truth that Randall was demanding she marry him. She shuddered, thinking about the idea of him ever laying a hand on her.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Denise asked her.

“Yes, for now. Anyway, the reason I called is that I didn’t want you to worry about me, but I also need you to call the nurse manager and ask her to take me off the schedule. Just tell her I’ll call when I get back into town.”

“When will that be?” Denise asked, her voice growing ever more frightened.

“I don’t know. Maybe not for a while. I don’t have my phone anymore, so you can’t call it, but you can reach me at this number.”

Denise was silent on the other end for several moments. Laura wondered if she’d hung up or fallen back asleep, but when she spoke, Laura could hear the uncertainty and fear in her tone. “Laura, tell me the truth, is someone there with you now? Are they making you say this?”

“No, Denise. I’m fine. Will you please just do as I asked?”

“I will. I’ll take care of it later this afternoon. And will you do me a favor? Stay safe.”

“I will,” Laura promised, then hung up the phone, not knowing if she would ever see her friend again.

* * *

By the time she dressed, Colton was on the front porch in one rocker, a mug of coffee in his hand. Laura spotted a well-worn leather Bible in his lap. He placed it aside as she stepped outside. The dogs lazing at his feet lifted their heads to her curiously.

“Afternoon. How’d you sleep?”

“Good. Too good. Why didn’t you wake me sooner?”

“What for? I guessed you could use some catching up on your sleep. I made breakfast. Nothing fancy, just eggs and bacon. I saved you some.”

“Thanks, but I’m not hungry.” She sat in the opposite rocker and one of the dogs—a brown mutt—moseyed over and sniffed around her. Laura held out her hand to him, then reached down and petted him.

“That’s Milo.” He pointed out the other dogs one by one. “This is Freddie, Rowdy and Miss Roxie.”

Laura scratched behind Milo’s ear. “How are you, boy?” In response, he jumped up onto her lap. “What kind of dog is he?”

“He’s just a run-of-the-mill mutt. All of them are. No thoroughbreds here.” He gave her a wry look. “I hope you like animals because I have a mess of them. The dogs are good for alerting when someone is approaching the house.”

“I heard them last night, but I didn’t see them.”

“I had them penned up.”

“I love animals,” she confided. “I have a cat. Misty. When I was younger, I always dreamed of becoming a veterinarian.”

His eyes alight with interest, he asked curiously, “What happened to that dream?”

She sighed. As with most other things, her father’s gambling had stolen another dream from her. “Life happened.”

He must have sensed her reluctance to talk about it because he set aside his Bible as he stood.

“I thought we would go into town and see about getting you some clothes and such. But first I want to give you the layout of the ranch.” He walked to the front door and she saw a small box mounted on the wall. “I always keep the alarm set. The passcode is 824. It’s set to ring to my cell phone if it’s set off. I also wanted to show you this.” He moved through the house to the kitchen and into the laundry room, but it wasn’t just any laundry room. He pushed open a closet to reveal what appeared to be a weapons arsenal.

He reached for a handgun. “Have you ever fired a gun?”

“No.” She knew many men in this part of the country hunted, but her father had never been one of them. Guns cost money and he’d preferred spending that money at the casinos.

Laura stared at the incredible display of weapons, some small handguns and some larger. She didn’t know much about weapons, but she knew not all he had were for recreational use. “Do you really know how to shoot all of these?”

“Each and every one. I wouldn’t have them if I didn’t know how to handle them.”

He set the handgun back into its place and closed the door. “You should know, too, that I almost always have a gun on me.” He opened his jacket to reveal a gun and holster. “The Rangers are an infiltration group. It was our job to go into an area and clear it of enemy risks. It was a dangerous job, but we got it done and it taught me to never be afraid. Fear of the unknown is often your worst enemy when you’re doing battle.”

She stared up into his handsome, now clean-shaven face. It seemed to her that he must not fear anything or anyone. He’d swooped in to save her, staring down the barrel of a gun just to protect someone he didn’t even know.