Chapter 20 – Involuntary Pauses
"Waiting is painful. Forgetting is painful. But not knowing which to do is the worse kind of suffering."
~ Paulo Coelho
Outside the Rafter G cabin, thunder crashed and the rain fell in steady sheets while a contrasting stillness had fallen over the shell-shocked people in the living room. Enos wasn't the only one staring at the rookie with the phone. The Long Arm of the Mob was making the ransom call himself, snubbing his nose at justice.
Out of the corner of his eye, Enos saw Jaxon's face screwed up in anger. The muscle on his neck pulsed a steady rhythm as ghosts of the past flitted across his features.
Enos helped Gus to his feet and cleared the wedge of turmoil in his throat as he reached out to take the phone. Hunt gave a quick nod, indicating they were ready to trace the call.
He lifted the receiver. "This is Enos Strate speaking."
Monroe started out blasé, but held no punches. "I thought it was time we spoke. I've rehearsed this conversation for months. You and those MacFarlands are a real pain in the ass."
"Ain't no love lost on our side either. Where did ya' take them?"
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves. We have some ground rules to discuss. Follow my instructions to the letter, or very, very, bad things will happen to your people. Understand?"
Enos thought about Dan and the paramedics words before he was whisked away. He'll be lucky to make it to the hospital. He didn't want anyone else to suffer that fate. "Bad things have already happened. I found blood in th' kitchen. Was it Drake's, or did ya' lose two men today?"
"Actually, I did lose two men, but not by Drake's hand. My people know the risks. Lucky for you, I'm feeling generous. Drake has a few more days to live. So do your women, if you cooperate."
"You're about as generous as Boss Hogg." Monroe needed the hostages for something and Enos knew exactly what it was. "You're after the twins."
The response pleased Monroe. "You aren't as dumb as all the rumors led me to believe. Pick one."
"One of the twins?" His gaze collided with Jenny's gem-green eyes. Even frightened, she was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. Their love was so new and he had yet to follow through on his plans for their future. If he lost her...
Enos choked out, "I can't."
"Perhaps there is something to those rumors after all. I meant pick which one of the hostages die first."
"But I can't!"
"You're not learning very fast. I suppose I could pick one for you and dump the body in the nearest river."
Enos grit his teeth. "Did ya' call to waste time braggin' about your power or are ya' gonna tell me what ya' want?"
"That's better. I want a sign of good faith. Get all the cops off the ranch. That includes the coroner. If they aren't gone in thirty minutes, the hostages die and you may, or my not, find the bodies. Got it?"
Enos spun around to Sheriff Running Wolf. He held headphones against his ear and gestured to his second in command. The officer raced out of the cabin to check the area. It would be just like Monroe to have someone watching the ranch.
"I heard ya'." Enos said. "Good faith goes both ways. Give Emily back and I'll get rid of th' police. She ain't done nothin' to you. She needs medication for her arthritis. Th' pain gets bad without it."
"Hmm…maybe I should just kill her then. I have so many options you know. Death. Torture. Indentured service. Your ex-fiancé would be good at that. Such a pretty girl. I've always wanted a harem."
Enos squeezed his eyes shut to keep from sending a panicked look Luke's direction. So much for compassion.
Monroe rambled on, "The MacFarland heir is more trouble than he's worth, but I know exactly what to do with him. Take a look at Jaxon. Are you looking at him?"
Enos met Jaxon's bewildered stare. "Yeah."
"Nice looking kid, right? He's got those lady-killer eyes and dark hair. I've often wondered how much he mirrors his twin. Tell me, do they have the same eyes?"
Enos scrunched his forehead, uncomfortable with where Monroe was going with this. "Yeah. They have th' same eyes."
The resemblance went far beyond the eyes, or even the smile. Enos had come to know all the similarities: the subtle gestures and mannerisms, a slight Scottish lilt and the same tenderness of heart. Except for height, the only other external difference was gender. Jaxon was hard lines and muscle, where Jenny was all feminine grace and soft curves.
"I've heard stories about Jenny." Monroe said. "She's supposed to be quite beautiful. I was hoping to have caught Ian MacFarland's little princess last February to see for myself. I've tried to find a picture, but she goes to great lengths to avoid being photographed. Her father was always so paranoid about her safety. The family calls her 'precious one.' Did you know that?"
Silence stretched uncomfortably before Enos realized he expected an answer. "Yes. I know."
"Well, I had to settle for Jaxon." Monroe said casually. "I sent pictures and video to Ian every few days. He deserved to see his son chained to my basement floor, slowly being transformed into a dirty bag of bones. Jaxon looked more animal than human by the time I was forced to trade him for Matt. He probably wouldn't have lasted more than another week or two. Have you seen the scars on his back?"
Anger began a slow, relentless boil. Enos wasn't sure who disgusted him more. Monroe for his actions, or Ian for not lifting a finger to help his own flesh and blood. He shot a pleading look at the Sheriff, who gestured with his hands to keep Monroe talking. At a loss for words, he answered, "I don't know nothin' about that."
"He injured one of my men so I had him whipped. Ian got that video, too. The kid didn't make a sound until leather reached bone and then…oh yes..." Monroe sucked in a breath, hissing through his teeth as if savoring his perverted memories. "Then…he broke and made such an ungodly sound. Imagine Jenny in his place. What a message that video would've sent to Ian. My men soiling his precious daughter, marring her creamy flesh until she-"
"Stop it!" Enos wanted to retch. Every part of him burned with outrage and the need to protect. "You ain't gettin' near her!"
"We'll see. The point of this little story is that I do nasty things to people when I don't get what I want. I hold the power. Mess this up and I'll practice on the barmaid."
Enos's stomach pitched and rolled at the thought of Daisy at Monroe's mercy. "Ain't no need to make threats. I'll cooperate. What are your terms?"
"You get terms when you get rid of the cops. Stay by the phone. You have thirty minutes."
The phone disconnected and he dropped the receiver to the cradle. Enos longed for the boredom of speed traps and jaywalking tickets, getting cats out of trees and the musty smell of his patrol car. Shoot, he even missed the trivial arguments with Cletus. He'd have nightmares for weeks over the images Monroe put in his head.
"Dammit!" Hunt threw down the headphones, pulling him out of his homesick thoughts. When he looked up, he didn't need to say a word, Enos already knew. They didn't get the trace.
Luke stepped between two gaping officers. He looked like he could spit lightning. "What did he say? Is Daisy all right?"
"She's alive, they all are, but he won't give me terms until th' police leave th' ranch. Th' rest ain't worth repeating." Enos wondered why Monroe was bothering with terms at all. Why didn't he just take Emily and then kill Daisy and Drake while he had the chance? The twins wouldn't let Emily die. So what else was going on?
"You did a good job, Enos." Hunt said. "The coroner is done and I'll send the squad cars away with him. We only need a handful of men to monitor the equipment and set up a secure line to the FBI. I'll make sure they're in plain clothes. Don't let Monroe rattle you with empty threats."
"Empty threats?" Jaxon shouted. "Do you know what that man is capable of doing to-"
"Jaxon, stop it." Jenny's gaze flicked between Gus and Luke's sullen faces.
"I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking." Jaxon flopped in the nearest chair, his eyes a stormy conglomeration of worry and upset. "Sheriff, you can not call the FBI. You'll tip him off."
Enos hooked a thumb in his belt while he thought. "Wait a minute, shouldn't we call Agent Patterson? Maybe his informant is still on the inside."
Jenny pursed her lips in disapproval.
"Jenny, we should at least try." Jaxon said.
"If you can even reach him," she said. "Travis gave us bad intel. For all we know, Monroe used him to set us up. Before we say anything more, the Sheriff and his men need to leave."
Enos shifted nervously. "I'm sorry Sheriff, but she's right. Ya' gotta go."
"Are you out of your mind?" Sheriff Running Wolf's eyes darkened. "Enos, you know why we don't let family call the shots in this type of situation. You're emotionally compromised."
Gus took an aggressive step forward. "I trust Enos and Jenny to do right by Emily, Hunt. If they say ya'll need to go, then ya'll need to go. If ya' need somthin' else to do, give Barney a police escort to th' hospital. Somebody should be there for Dan."
Hunt kept a grip on his anger, barely. "Don't be a fool, Gus. You need to let me handle this."
Barney settled his wide brimmed hat on his head and spoke with a deep, no-nonsense inflection. "Now Hunt, you know better than to sass Gus. He ain't gonna change his mind."
Jenny walked around the couch to take Gus's hand, presenting a united front to the law. "If you don't leave, Monroe will kill the people we love. Nobody 'handles' him."
"Best move on out." Barney said. "I'll stop at the bunkhouse to radio Hosea and Chet so they know what's happened and I'll wait for you in my truck. Meet me at th' gate."
Jenny whisked a tear from her cheek and said to Barney, "Tell Dan we love him."
"Yes ma'am." Barney strode out of the cabin, the worry for his friend heavy on his shoulders.
"Augustus Rafferty, you stubborn cuss..." The Sheriff adjusted his weight to one hip and exhaled a long sigh. "Are you sure this is what you want to do?"
"No, but I can't risk th' alternative and lose Emily, or the kids." Gus focused on Emily's basket of knitting on the hearth and his eyes misted over, like his soul was blistered and raw. "She's scared to death. I can feel it in my bones. The only thing I can do to help her is to get you off my land."
Luke, who'd been unusually quiet, spoke out. "I agree th' law needs to go, but then what? Whatever deal Monroe makes, he won't keep."
"The trust of the innocent is the liar's most useful tool." Jaxon said, nodding slowly. Everyone turned to stare at him. He shrugged, holding his hands out to his sides, palms up. "What? It's Stephen King. Don't you guys read?"
Jenny rolled her eyes. "Good grief. We're living Stephen King. You should read something else."
"Like those trashy romance novels you hide behind The Celtic Twilight?" Jaxon winked to soften the blow.
Jenny flung a piqued look at her twin, her cheeks turning a bright shade of pink. "Focus, Numpty."
Enos redirected the conversation. "Luke's right. Monroe lies and he always has a backup plan. He's not gonna give up Daisy and Drake, but he might trade Emily."
"There's more going on here than revenge, or he would've killed Drake and Daisy." Jaxon said grimly. "We can be pretty sure he'll want Jenny and me. Probably you, too, Enos."
They were talking in circles. Luke pinched the bridge of his nose. "Then our only chance to save everyone is to find out where they've been taken and get them out, before an exchange is set up."
"If he gives us enough time." Jenny began to pace, tapping her finger against her chin in thought. "Maybe we can still utilize Hunt's resources. We just have to get creative."
Luke snapped his fingers, that tell-tale gleam in his eye. "I've got it! The bear hunt! The Sheriff can just spread his men out among the hunting parties."
"Perfect." Jenny said, grinning. "Since the bear was at the border of Gus's property last night, Monroe won't be the wiser."
Hunt wrinkled his brow, contemplating the idea. "That could work. The men tracking our suspects spotted the bear near Devil's Gulch. That's where we need to be."
The first sign of hope finally spread across the room.
"Gus, where's Devil's Gulch from here?" Luke asked.
"North. Only way in is by horseback or helicopter."
"No helicopter." Jaxon said. "They'd hear us coming."
Gus sat down, but his knee bounced anxiously. "Hunt, did they track them into the gulch?"
"Deputy Michaels lost the trail south of there. They may have ridden into Bison Creek to cover their tracks. The rain has the area flooded and Michaels is stuck in the old line shack until the weather clears. It could take a couple days before anybody can get in and out of the gulch, if that's even where they are."
Enos committed the information to memory. If they were in the gulch, Monroe would ask for more time to make an exchange.
"Emily can't take th' cold nights out on th' range." Gus dropped his head back to his hands.
That helpless feeling surged again and Enos moved behind Jenny, placing his hands on her waist. "Sheriff, we're running out of time. I think ya' better go now. I'll keep ya' posted."
"Make sure you do." Hunt retrieved his hat and addressed his men. "Riley, go with Barney to Richland Memorial and call me with an update on Dan's condition. The rest of you help the evidence team tape off the areas they haven't covered, pack up our stuff, and head over to the Triple K. Caroline will let us set up command there. It'll be faster than driving back and forth to Bramble Creek. Make sure nobody comes to the Rafter G without direct orders and nobody, I mean nobody, talks to the FBI!"
Hunt gave Enos a curt nod. "You know where to reach me." He put on his hat and walked out into the rain.
When the last patrol car drove out the gate, Enos's heart was spinning in his chest. He'd never felt so uncertain about a decision, or had so much riding on the outcome. Daisy and Emily had always been a crucial part of his life. He took a ragged breath and looked at the phone. Now they waited.
Gus clapped his hands together, startling everyone. "Well, now that he's gone, let's get a move on. We need to tack up three more horses and enough gear for three days. Jenny darlin', there's jerky in the kitchen and extra canteens in the storeroom. When that murdering snake calls back, we're goin' after Emily."
Enos could only stare. Maybe his godfather had snapped. "Gus, you said we can't get into Devil's Gulch for a few days."
"Son, this is my land. Hunt's men might not be able to get past the flooding, but I sure as hell can."
Daisy woke flat on her back with a dull headache. She was soaked to the skin and shivering so hard her bones hurt. It was so dark she couldn't see her hand in front of her face and the silence was deafening. Dazed and disoriented, she rolled and heard the scrape of metal against stone. Her left wrist was manacled with cold iron and attached to heavy chain.
"Don't panic. Just don't panic. Help is coming." The memory burned through her mind, sending her heart into overdrive. Drake can't help you anymore.
The kidnappers said he couldn't help her, but that didn't mean he was dead. She grasped the chain. Maybe he was on the other end. Crawling on her hands and knees was painful and slow. The punishing ride through the cold had taken a toll on her muscles, leaving her weak and stiff. Daisy crept along, feeling her way until she bumped into a wall. No Drake. All she found was an eyebolt protruding from a flange where the chain had been secured.
Fighting back tears, she continued to search in the darkness. She reached a row of iron bars and followed them as far as she could until the chain kept her from proceeding. She stopped to listen. The silence was like a heavy blanket and she could hear her heart pound in her chest. Then someone moaned. It was pained, but deep and definitely male.
"Drake?" Daisy turned and crawled toward the noise until her hand landed on his thigh. He chuckled. "This ain't funny ya' pig headed caveman!" She would've slapped him if she wasn't so happy to have found him…or if she could see him. "I thought they killed you! Are ya' hurt, sugar?"
He groaned again and a hand brushed her cheek, then it quickly fell away.
"Oh, sugar. I'm here." Daisy put her hands on his chest, grateful for the warmth, but something wasn't right. Then it dawned on her. Why weren't his clothes wet? She jerked her hands back. "Drake?"
The chuckling resumed, becoming a maniacal laugh, evil in nature. Before she could move away, a big hand grabbed her blouse. She was yanked forward and a sinister voice said, "What's the matter, Wildcat? Not who you were looking for?"
Blinding light flooded the room. Daisy was face to face with her worst nightmare, a man who looked remarkably like Reid Duncan. She screamed and slapped him, but he grabbed her wrists so tight she thought her bones would snap.
"I like the fighters," he hissed.
"Let me go!"
"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Matt and I'm here to make you pay for what you and your boyfriend did to my brother, Reid. I'm gonna finish what he started, but I'm gonna make it last a long, long time."
Daisy fought for her life, kicking and flailing to get away. She spit in his face and was immediately backhanded. The blow knocked her on her back. Pain exploded behind her eye and spread across the side of her head, dimming her senses. Matt was on her in a flash. His knees clamped against her hips and his hand went around her throat, squeezing until she couldn't breathe.
"You go right ahead and fight," he snarled. "I'll tame you. Just wait and see. You're mine, Wildcat." He stared at her with those muddy brown eyes until grey clouded her vision and the nightmare faded to nothingness.
A loud bang roused Daisy a few moments later. Matt was gone. The lights were out and her ears were still ringing, but someone was talking. She tasted blood on her lips and her head throbbed mercilessly. Too defeated to move and too exhausted to cry, she lay quietly and listened to the voice, imagining it was Uncle Jesse comforting her after a nightmare when she was little.
The blow had knocked her senseless. Perhaps she was still out, because she couldn't understand the words. They were all jumbled and strange, but there was something comforting and familiar about the sound. Daisy came out of the mental fog when she heard her name. It was sandwiched between a repeated phrase. "Tha mi duilich…tha mi duilich, Daisy. Tha mi duilich..."
She'd heard this language before and it spurred her to action. Her skull pounded and her stomach rolled as she dragged herself across the cold floor, but she kept moving until she found him. Drake was slumped against the back wall, shackles and chains on both arms and legs. He didn't acknowledge her and repeated the same mumbled phrase.
She tried to speak, but her throat hurt so bad she abandoned the effort. Daisy checked him for injuries, running her hands carefully over his head. He groaned when her fingers brushed against the large gash and swelling left by the rifle butt. She could feel the blood caked in his hair. He was as cold as she was so she curled up beside him to keep warm and guided his head to her shoulder. The tears returned. There was nothing else she could do for him.
Drake continued to mumble, but then he brushed his face against her neck and whispered, "I'm sorry, Daisy. I'm sorry."
Daisy held him tighter and drifted back to unconsciousness.
The room wasn't much better than a prison cell with a half-bath. An old mattress was tossed on the floor and a beat up wooden crate served as a makeshift nightstand. There were no windows. The only source of light came from an old candlestick lamp on a rickety chair. It was missing the shade and threw frightening shadows in the corners. Emily was alone and had never been more terrified.
Hearing a key in the door, she struggled to sit up on the mattress. Expensive perfume wafted from the chenille robe as she tightened it around her, but she was in too much pain to notice. Her body protested every move, sending electrical shocks down her arms and legs. As the door creaked opened, she quickly wiped the tears from her cheeks. She refused to let these people see her fear.
A woman walked in with a serving tray. She was out of place for the scene, let alone for Wyoming. She was dressed in a custom tailored pantsuit, crème with gold stitching, with a cowl-neck silk blouse and expensive peep-toe heels. She'd introduced herself earlier as Gidget.
"Oh, good," she said, smiling pleasantly. "I'm glad to see you're out of those wet clothes. I brought a sandwich and some hot tea for you."
Gidget placed the tray on the crate and began pouring just as a clap of thunder rumbled the dwelling. Unconcerned about the dirty floor, she knelt forward and offered Emily a steaming cup of tea and a bottle of ibuprofen. "My mother-in-law had arthritis. She used burdock root every day, but this will work, too. It'll make you more comfortable while we talk."
Emily narrowed cool grey eyes. "I'd be comfortable at home!"
"I'm not going to hurt you, luv. There's no need to suffer unnecessarily. The rain makes it worse, yes?"
Emily gave her a skeptical look. "Bein' dragged through the rain on a horse with a sack over my head don't help."
If she had any chance of helping Daisy and Drake, she had to be able to move. Emily watched her for another long moment. Then she took the pills and swallowed them. She couldn't help Dan though and tears blurred her vision.
"Poor dear. I'll take care of you." Gidget glanced at the door and lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "I'm not here by choice, either. I can help you, but we have to trust each other. I need to know why Monroe took you and where you came from. What's your name, luv?"
She didn't want to trust this woman, but she was desperate. "I'm Emily."
A visible jolt traveled through Gidget. "Wh-what's your last name? Where do you live?"
That was as far as Emily was willing to go. "Nu-uh. Those men shot Dan. You're gonna tell me how you're mixed up with a bunch of killers and where they took the others."
Gidget's face blanched and her hands shook as she balanced the teacup on a saucer. "I'm verra sorry about Dan."
Emily blinked. Had she heard that right? "What did you say?"
"I was saying how very sorry I was about Dan. I didn't know there were others with you."
"Well there were!" Emily wagged a finger. "Don't ya' go playin' games with me! You'll make things worse for yourself when my husband gets here! My godson is a police officer. They won't give up until they find me!"
Gidget seemed to gather herself. "That's good for both of us then, yes?" She took a sip of tea and said, "My circumstances are a little complicated. I've been working inside Monroe's organization for a very long time. Someone important to me was threatened and I've been trying to gather evidence of his criminal activities. Before I could get out, he brought me here."
If she was telling the truth, she was taking a considerable risk. Emily asked, "Do ya' mean to say you're undercover FBI?"
"I'm an informant." A loud bang down the hall vibrated through the floor, causing both women to jump.
Emily's hands flew to her heart. "Good heavens! What was that?"
"I don't know. I heard it earlier while you were still asleep. It's coming from Matt's room."
"Gidget…" Emily leaned forward to look into her eyes. They were a deep, rich green with silver flecks around the iris. At the moment they were filled with compassion and if she didn't know better, she'd say worry. Emily couldn't tell if this woman was lying about her role in Monroe's organization, but she knew how to find out. "I reckon the kids are bein' held in that room. Ya' gotta help get them out. Monroe wants them dead. You're our only chance. Please, Drake and Daisy could already be hurt."
Gidget dropped her cup and saucer, breaking the fragile china on the floor. "Daisy and…"
"Drake." Emily repeated. "Daisy and Drake. Why are ya' so nervous all of a sudden?"
Gidget just stared back with a look of panic. Emily grasped her arms. "Please. They're good kids and I love them like they're my own. We just have to get to them. Drake will know what to do." If he's in one piece. Emily couldn't verbalize the thought.
"I…um…" Gidget brushed Emily off and began to clean up the mess, but she was shaking so badly that she cut her finger on a broken piece of china.
Emily swept into mothering mode, grabbing a napkin from the tray and wrapping it around the cut. "What's th' matter with ya'? You're willing to walk into Monroe's camp and work against him right under his nose, but ya' can't sneak in a room to check on innocent people?"
"N-no, that's not it. It's just…I was thinking long term," she said, not making eye contact. "It'll be difficult to get the two of us out, but four?"
"I told ya', Drake will know what to do. He can help all of us! His father-"
"He's a vicious monster!" Gidget inhaled sharply "M-Matt. I'm talking about Matt. He'll kill me if he catches me. Besides, the door to his room is locked. Even if I could get in, that's the last bloody place I want to be."
"What ain't ya' tellin' me? You're as spooked as a young filly."
"It's nothing." Gidget pulled away from her grasp.
"It ain't nothin', but it can wait until we get to th' kids. Can ya' pick a lock?"
"Yes."
"Then take me with ya'. As soon as my clothes dry, we'll do it together. I may have lost Dan. I'm not gonna lose Drake and Daisy, too. Please, Gidget. I thought you wanted to help?"
"I do, but I never expected that…" She stood quickly and paused to brush the dust from her knees. She backed toward the door, then hesitated, saying, "Alright, but I'll go in alone first and see what we're dealing with. Until we can get out the front door, there's no sense in putting you in more danger. J-just relax and eat that sandwich so the pills don't make you sick." Gidget retrieved Emily's wet clothes from the floor and stammered, "I-I'll be back with these after I…wh-when it's safe."
Gidget nearly fell off her heels in her haste to exit the room. Emily wasn't sure what was going on with the woman, but she was their best hope of getting home. She closed her eyes, realizing a funeral might be waiting when she returned. She could still see the blood spread across Dan's chest and the stunned look on his face. How could he survive such a horrible wound? She prayed for Dan until the grief took over. She gave in and cried.
While Enos and Gus waited for Monroe to call, Luke went out to the barn to saddle the extra horses. The rain had let up a little, but it was dreary and cold. He thought the chilly weather would take his mind off the fields of corn at home and days spent repairing fences with the sun on his back. Instead, all he could think about was how home would never be the same without Daisy. He dreaded the next phone conversation with Uncle Jesse.
"Luke?" Jenny walked in and pulled back the hood of her rain slicker. She carried a rifle case and approached him like he was an injured animal. "May I speak with you?"
"I reckon." Luke turned his back and resumed tacking up the bay mare. He rather be alone. If he were honest, he'd prefer to be as far from the MacFarlands as possible. They promised to keep Daisy safe.
"I'm sorry this happened," she said. "Jaxon and I will do everything we can to save Daisy, even if we have to give ourselves up."
"You really think that'll stop him from killing her?"
"Yes, I do. We've caused him a lot of trouble and he'd love it if we surrendered. He could brag to the world how he cowered the mighty MacFarlands."
Luke sighed and faced her, crossing his arms over his chest. "Is that you're big plan? To be sacrificial lambs?"
"Well, it's not 'plan A.'" Jenny gave a sly grin and turned to place the case on a haybale. "Jaxon came up with an idea that might help confuse Monroe's men when we find them. You could benefit us all if you look like Drake."
"Jenny, I ain't near tall enough or broad enough to pass for Drake. Exactly what are you planning?"
"I think you call it a shuck and jive." The latches on the case 'clicked' open. "If you're on a horse, especially Joe, he's Drake's favorite, your height won't be a big factor. Jaxon is getting his hat and coat for you. The bullet proof vest will add bulk, but there's one more thing you can carry that would convince Monroe's men, especially those who've been briefed about Drake."
Jenny opened the case. "Enos tells me you're quite handy with one of these."
Luke stepped over to look inside. It wasn't a rifle after all. The barebow was magnificent, beautifully maintained and elegant in its simplicity. Jenny ran her fingers lovingly along the curve, hovering over a Gaelic inscription painted on the inner bend.
"Drake's always been a great archer. A natural." She picked up the weapon with careful reverence. "Our father gave this to him when he joined the Archery Club at Edinburgh University. Pops…" Jenny flinched, catching herself. "Father didn't give presents often after Finn died, so this carries a lot of sentimental value. Drake takes it with him wherever he goes. The fact he doesn't have it now isn't setting well with me.
"We want you to take it and use it to help us bring Daisy home. I don't know if it matters, but this is what Drake used to save her from Reid Duncan." Jenny extended her arms, offering him the bow. "It seems appropriate, don't you think?"
Seeing the tears glisten in her eyes, Luke understood how difficult this was for her. Her brother's life was on the line and she was offering his most prized possession to a near stranger…knowing Daisy and Emily may be the only ones to come out of this alive.
"Luke, will you take it and help us?"
Luke took the bow and Jenny took a hitched breath. She released it slowly, relaxing her shoulders in the process, as if she'd been relieved of a heavy burden. He put a hand on her shoulder and said, "Yes ma'am. I'd be honored."
"Jenny! Luke!" Boots sloshed through the mud and Jaxon appeared in the doorway, his chest heaving from the run. "Come to the house! Quick! Monroe called early. Enos is on the phone with him now."
