Chapter 30

Back in the mountains. Alex and Hailey were having a good time fishing together. He liked acting like a big brother to her. He was trying to teach Hailey how to fly fish. She learned quickly and they caught plenty of fish for dinner. They walked into the house only to find they were not alone. Roy was there waiting for Jen.

"Hailey, I am sorry to scare you. I am an old friend of your mother. My name is Roy. Did your mom tell you I was coming?"

Hailey shook her head no.

"Who is your friend?" ask Roy.

"Alex Hawkes," Alex explained, but he was getting an uneasy feeling about Roy.

"Is your father Cody Hawkes?" Roy questioned.

Alex said uneasily, "yes."

"So, you are siblings? Roy asked.

Alex and Hailey both said, "No". They looked at each other confused.

Roy pulled out the birth certificate and handed it to the pair. They both read it. It had Hailey's first name and birthdate. Her mother's first name and Alex's father's name.

"That is not possible." Alex explained. He could see the anger burning in Roy's eyes. Alex tried to quickly think of a way to get Hailey and him out of there. He had to protect Hailey from Roy. Questions were going thru his mind. Could Hailey be his sister? Did his father know? Roy was making him very uncomfortable. "Hailey, I almost forgot, we need put the fish in the ice chest and feed my horse. Roy we will be right back." He put his arm on her back to start leading her out.

Roy stepped in their path and pulled out a gun, "I don't think so, the two of you are not going anywhere. We are going to wait right here for your mother and lover boy."

Roy tied Alex and Hailey up to the dining room chairs.

Jen's car pulled up to the car park. She grabbed a few bags, figuring the kids could help her bring the rest in. She wanted to take a shower and freshen up before Cody arrived. She was nervous and excited to move forward in a relationship with him. Nervous if she would be able to make love to him tonight or would she panic again. Jen walked into the house calling for Hailey and Alex.

"Hello sweetheart," Roy said in a cold voice. Jen just froze where she was at and dropped her bags. Jen knew that voice, she was terrified. Roy came over to her and put a hand on the side of her cheeks and started to kiss her. "It's been a long time." Roy continued to kiss her. "What no kiss for your husband?" his voice was getting cold. He pushed her back against the wall and kissed her more and Jen started to kiss him back as she trembled. "That is more like it. You are mine and will always be mine." He then moved his hand to her throat and started to choke her. "Now we just need to wait for lover boy."

Cody was back at his cabin. He was feeding the animals, showered, and saddled up his horse. He had a big smile on his face. He had not been this happy in a long time. The feelings he had for Jen he never thought he feel again. He began to head up to the lodge where he and Alex will spend the night. He was hopeful that Jen would let him make love to her that night. He desired to be with her so badly.

Roy had Jen by the hair and dragged her into the eating area where Hailey and Alex were tied up. Roy threw Jen into the table. Jen pushed herself up she turned to face Roy.

"Let them go, they have not done anything. It is me you want to hurt," Jen said. Roy pushed Jen's face hard into the table and push himself up against her. He reached down and started to undo her pants. "Please, not here, not in front of them."

Roy pushed up against Jen some more Roy whispered to Jen with his mouth up to her ear. "I will have you when and where I want. You are a whore and a tramp. When lover boy gets here, you are going to watch him die. Then you are going to watch his kids die."

"His kids?" with that, Jen saw the birth certificate with Cody's name on it, laying on the table next to her. Jen put Cody's name on Hailey's birth certificate, so her husband would not think Hailey was his daughter, but now that she is here with Cody her plan will haunt her.

"Roy…. I have never cheated on you with Cody. He was someone I knew when I lived here with my grandfather. I was sixteen the last time I saw him." Roy pushed into her more. "Augh…You are Hailey's father, not Cody. Hailey was conceived when we were together. I had her birthdate pushed out three months, she was born November 11th and not February 3rd. You would be killing your own daughter. Please let them go!" Jen pleaded.

He grabbed both her arms and turned her to face him. "You kept my daughter from me. My own flesh and blood" the anger was building in Roy. He hit her hard across the face and knocked her to the ground. Her cheeks were red, and her lip was cut with blood dripping out.

Hailey screamed for her mother and was crying. Roy exclaimed to the kids, "SHUT UP! SHUT UP!"

Jen was trying to figure out a way to get Roy away from the Lodge. Away from Hailey and Alex. She knew Cody was on his way. If she could get Roy away from the Lodge. Cody could save the kids and get help. Most importantly Alex and Hailey would be safe. Jen looked at her daughter, then to Alex and up to Roy. She got all the courage she could muster. It did not matter what happened to her as long as the kids were safe. She knew if she were to die, Cody would take Hailey and raise her as his own.

"Roy, it is me you want to hurt. Not your daughter. I have the evidence of what you did, and I can take you too it. Then you can do whatever you want to me, and you can leave them alone." Jen pleaded.

When Roy first found out Jen had a daughter years ago, he thought she was his daughter. She was the right age. Jen and the girl had disappeared before he got a hold of them. When he found the birth certificate, he was angry and wanted nothing more than to hurt his cheating wife and her lover.

"My Daughter." He looked at Hailey who continued to cry. Pausing for a moment thinking. "You will take me to what is mine and then I will remind you of your wifely duties. When I am done with you, I will come back for my daughter and take her home with me. You will never see her again."

Jen said, "It is in a cave about 4 miles from here, it will be dark before we get there." Jen grabbed a few things they might need like flashlights, water, and a blanket. "Please let me say goodbye to my daughter," Jen pleaded.

Roy shoved her out of the lodge, Roy would not let Jen say goodbye to her daughter. Her daughter she will never see again. Jen cried as they left.

Cody arrived at the lodge and put his horse in the barn. He grabbed his saddle bags and rifle before heading into the house.

Cody was about to say something when he walked into the lodge, and he knew something was wrong right away. He could see that there had been a struggle.

He heard the muffled sounds of Hailey crying and Alex yelling for help as Roy had bound their mouths up. Cody put down the saddle bags and pulled his rifle out ready to shoot. Cody walked quietly throughout the lodge. Seeing no one, but he could hear some small whimpers and banging of chair legs coming from the pantry. He carefully opened up the pantry door to find Hailey and Alex tied and bound up. He was stunned and quickly lowered his gun. Cody quickly untied the two kids. Hailey was crying and Cody reached and hugged both kids.

"Hailey, where is your mom?" Cody asked.

"He took her, he took her?" Hailey cried.

"Hailey, take a deep breath, who took your mom?" Cody trying to stay calm.

"Dad, it was some guy, he said his name is Roy."

"Momma said he was my father," Hailey said confused.

"Dad, there is more". Alex picked up the birth certificate and handed it to Cody.

"Jen told me about it. I will explain later. First we have to find your mom." Cody said looking at Hailey who was looking confused. "Do you guys have any idea where he was taking her?"

"Dad, she said that she had some things that belonged to Roy, and she was going to take him to it. She said it was in a cave about four miles from here," Alex stated.

"We need to get a hold of the rangers" Cody ran to the office where he knew the radio was. He found the radio was smashed to pieces, along with all the phones and internet equipment. Cody knew his phone reception was not good near the lodge, but he checked any ways. "Damn!" Just as expected.

Cody and the kids ran to where Jen's car was parked. The tires where slashed. Cody ran back to the lodge and pulled out a map of the area, Cody highlighted the areas in a four-mile radius from the lodge.

"I am going to start looking for Jen here and work my way around to here. I want you guys to take the horses and ride to the ranger station as fast as you can. Have them split up into two groups and start searching here and here. I want you to take my phone. Keep checking to see if you can get reception. Most likely you won't until you get close to the station. Alex, do you understand?"

"Yes dad, I understand." Alex said.

"Good, I want you to keep Hailey safe," Cody said with both arms on his son's shoulder. "Hailey, we will find your mother an bring her back. I know things might be a bit confusing right now, but we will explain everything. I am not your father, but I wish I was." The little girl gave him a hug.

Alex and Cody saddled up the horses and the two kids got on and road off in the direction of the Ranger Station. Cody only had his rifle on him for protection. Cody started to track Jen and Roy. He hoped that he was right as to where they were heading.

Jen led Roy thru the mountains towards the cave. She prayed that the kids would be safe. She tried to go as slow as possible to give Cody as much time to get to the lodge and get the kids out of there before Roy returned. She knew as soon as she left with Roy she would not return, she will never see her daughter, Alex or Cody again. Her only concern was for their safety.

After almost two hours of walking thru the mountains Roy and Jen reach the cave. It was dark out by the time they got there and was getting colder by the minute. Roy made Jen carry some wood into the cave. Since Roy such a city boy. Jen had to build the fire to warm up the cave and give them ability to see.

"So where is it?" Roy demanded.

Jen carefully walked back into the cave and pulled out a box that was placed carefully up on a tall ledge. She carried it back over to Roy. He grabbed the box from her. He set the box down on the ground and opened it up. He took all the papers and photos and threw them into the fire and watched them burn.

"Are there any copies anywhere else? Is this everything?" Roy demanded questioning her. He was in her face. Jen was shaking her head no, crying. As he demanded Jen kept walking backwards until she couldn't go any further. Her back was up against the wall of the cave. Roy's hand went around Jen's throat. Her face was turning red, she could not breathe. She thought this would be the end.

"You have denied me the right to have my wife warm my bed. You please me tonight and I will let those little brats go." Roy commanded.

"And Cody, you will leave him alone?" Jen pleaded.

"It all depends on how much you satisfy me," Roy smirked.

Jen did not want to, but she began kissing Roy, but if it could save Cody and Alex than she had to. Jen knew what Roy liked. She trembled as she did it, like so many other times she had with Roy in the past.

When they were finished, she turned away from Roy and she felt dirty and ashamed.

Roy leaned over her, kissing her on her shoulder, "Your always such a good fuck." Jen just closed her eyes and tensed up. Jen's heart was breaking. She loved Cody and just felt like she betrayed him.

Jen just lying on the floor of the cave. Roy got up and got dressed. As he got dressed, "Jen, you made it so easy for me to find you this time. When you signed over the property from your grandfather, I knew you came back here." Jen just started to cry. Then she started to get up, "No sweet heart, you are going to stay just as you are. So, when they find you, lover boy will know that I had you and you will always be mine." Roy punched her in the face, then he kicked her in the ribs and stomach. He took off his belt and used it as a whip. Whipping her across her bare back. Jen just screamed in pain. Then he got the bright idea to leave a mark on her, he grabbed a stick from the fire and burned her back with the hot tip. Jen screamed in agony as her flesh burned.

Cody was tracking their movements, he made it close enough to the cave to see dull light shining and could hear her screams. He had to get to her fast before it was too late. The rangers were also closing in. Cody spotted Jasper and Kelly and the three of them moved closer.

Back in the cave. "Jen you were always so gullible. I told you, if you ever cheat on me, I will kill your lover. I will fulfill my promise and kill Cody Hawkes. I also told you, if you ever left me, I would kill you. The only thing I will miss is how good you make me feel when we fuck." He gave her one last kiss. He grabbed Jen by the hair and slammed her head against the floor and she went unconscious. He began to gather his stuff. He gave her one last kick in the stomach. Jen had nothing left. She only moved from the force of the kick.

Roy pulled out a gun, "goodbye sweetheart." He knelt beside her. "You took my daughter from me. Now you will never see her again. She is mine and will never leave my side." Roy started to pull the trigger. "Hmmm… second thought, killing you will end your suffering too soon. I want you to slowly feel your life leave your body." Roy untriggered the gun.

"High Mountain Rangers, drop your weapon," Jasper shouted.

Roy turned toward the entrance and saw Jasper, Kelly and Cody all pointing their rifles at him. Roy moved his arm with the gun and pointed it at the rangers. He started to cock the trigger of his gun. A gun shot rang out and Roy fell to the ground. The smoke was lingering out of Jasper's gun.

Jasper ran over to Roy; he kicked the gun away from him. Jasper checked Roy, "He's dead".

At the same time Cody and Kelly ran over to Jen, seeing her naked badly beaten body.

"Jen…Jennifer wake up." Cody cried. He quickly took off his coat and threw it over Jen's naked body, so she could keep warm. "Jen please wake up."

Kelly had her paramedic bag and started to assess Jen's injuries. "Jen, can you hear me. Jen, can you hear me." Kelly tried to get a response from Jen.

Kelly got the radio. "Lady Hawke to base. Come in base."

"Base to Lady Hawke, this is Bird Dog, come back." voice on the radio called.

"We have found Jen. She is in very bad condition. We are requesting medivac evacuation on the cave near Crescent Ridge. Please send Avila ASAP. Lady Hawke out."

"Copy that, Avila is on her way. ETA 15 minutes. base out," David stated.

"We also have a deceased person here. I believe it is Roy McGovern, but not confirmed yet." Lady Hawke out.

"Lady Hawke, are you all okay?"

"Yes, Jasper, Cody and I are all okay. Lady Hawke out."

Cody just wanted to pull Jen up in his arms, but with the extent of her injuries it could do more harm than the comfort he could get her. Cody was just softly talking to her. Telling her she will be alright. That the kids are safe at the ranger station, and that he loved her.

Kelly looked over at her brother, "Jasper are you okay?"

Jasper was bit silent, but just shook his head yes. He had never shot or killed anyone before. He did what he had to do but was in shock. Kelly did not like how Jasper was looking. So, she ran over to him. "Jasper look at me. I think you are in shock. She grabbed a blanket and rapped it around him. She told him to sit and to put his head between his knees. Then she ran back to Jen. Kelly and Cody started to address the cuts on Jen's back.

Chopper landed on the helicopter pad with medical crew awaiting to grab their patient. Jen was quickly transferred from the chopper to the hospital's gurney. Kelly had radioed in Jen's condition to the hospital staff.

Cody was just shaking; he told Jen earlier in the day that he loved her and could not lose her already.

Robin, Matt, Alex and Hailey showed up at the hospital and met Cody in the waiting room with Jessica. Cody saw them walk in the room and he slowly got up. The two kids ran up to Cody and hugged him.

"Is my momma, okay?" Hailey asked.

Cody knelt to her to get to her eye level. "Your mom was hurt very badly. The doctors and nurses are doing everything they can for her. We just have to wait and see."

"What about that man who took my momma, my father?" Hailey's voice faded with the last part.

"He will never hurt you, your mom or anyone ever again." Cody answered back and gave the little girl another big hug.

"Code, can I talk to you?" Matt asked. Matt and Cody stepped away. The kids sat down with Robin. "How did she look?"

"Matt, its bad. When I approached the cave, I could hear her screams as he beat and burned her. When we got into the cave, I thought she was dead, she was laying there naked on the floor. I am pretty sure he raped her." Cody said with tears coming down his face. Matt gave Cody a big hug. Cody just cried in his brother's arms.

The sheriff walked into the waiting room with Jessica, "Code, I am so sorry. Keep me posted on how she is doing. I must go back to the scene with Jessica and the sheriff for the death investigation. We will need to get your statement, but it can wait. Robin is going to stay here with you."

Few hours had passed. Hailey was asleep in Cody's lap. "Momma?"

Cody comforted Hailey. "Your mom is a fighter; doctor says that she is resting now."

Hailey asked, "Can I see her?" Alex started to stir as well.

"I am afraid not. I want you and Alex to go with my sister-in-law Robin and get some rest. I will give you a call in the morning and give you an update on your mom as soon as I get one." Cody said. Hailey shook her head yes. Hailey turned to give Cody a big hug around his neck, and he gave her one back. Cody gave Alex a hug as well. "You did good tonight son. I am proud of you."

The chopper landed near the cave with Jessica, Matt, and the Sheriff. Since the shooting involved a cop and federal officers the local FBI will be on the scene. Matt brought the sheriff along as it involved his family. Matt had to stay out of the investigation, so it did not look like they covered anything up. The FBI was already on the scene. Jasper had to turn over his rifle and badge while the investigation was under way. Both Kelly and Jasper had given their statements to the FBI. Jessica was to give her statement as to what she saw.

Agent Jones came over to Matt and the Sheriff, "I want to let you know, according to Officer Kelly Hawkes and Officer Jasper Hawkes the shooting was in self-defense. We still need to talk to a Cody Hawkes; I understand he is your brother, and the victim Ms. Jen Montgomery. Is there anything you can tell me about her?"

"Has it been confirmed that the deceased is Roy McGovern?" Matt asked.

Agent Jones responded, "Yes, it is Officer Roy McGovern of the Miami police department.

"The victim's legal name is Jennifer McGovern; she is the wife of Officer Roy McGovern."

"Jennifer McGovern, you said. Your children said her name was Montgomery."

Matt said, "Roy McGovern is estranged husband of the victim Jennifer McGovern. Jen has been running from her husband for nearly 12 years and has been using several alias's. According to Jen, Roy was physically, mentally, and sexually abusive towards her. Also, Jen was aware of some illegal activities conducted by Officer McGovern. She may have had some proof."

"We have found some scorched documents in the fire as well has some drives in his bag that we will be doing some analysis on. How well do you know Mrs. McGovern?"

Matt responded, "I met Jen when she was 12, shortly after she moved in with her grandfather. Her parents were killed in a car accident. I had many interactions with Jen and her grandfather after that. My wife was close with Jen for a while when she was a teenager. Jen and her grandfather were guests at my wedding. The last time I saw her was when her grandfather passed away, I helped her with the arrangements for the funeral and closing the lodge up as she was not expecting to return anytime soon. She would have been about 20 at the time. Then I did not see her again until this past fall. She been living with my brother Cody and his son Alex up until a couple of weeks ago. Jen turned over the Lodge that her grandfather built to the High Mountain Rangers after she could not pay the back taxes and the property was going to be auctioned off in the spring. She been staying at the lodge until she can figure out her next steps."

"How long have you known she been living under an alias?"

"Since about Christmas. She was looking for a job we had posted at the station. I could not hire her as she did not want to go thru the background checks. We told the rangers to watch out for Roy as he was her estranged husband, and he was very dangerous. We did not give than any other details."

"Can you tell me the events of this evening?" Agent Jones asked.

"I was working in the Commanders office when I heard a commotion coming from the front office. Hailey, Jen's daughter and Alex, my nephew came into the ranger station frantic. Officer David Tao and Josh Cutler had met them at the front door. They had ridden up on Alex and my brother Cody's horses. It was dark by the time they got to the station. Normally they would not have been riding the horses after dark. Hailey was crying that he took her mom, he was going to hurt her. Josh got her to calm down and told them to slow down. I came into the room just in time to hear my nephew explain what happened. He gave us details that Roy had taken Jen to some cave four miles away. He gave us the map that his father had given him. Showing where Cody was going to search and where he wanted the rangers to search. When they had gotten back to the lodge after fishing, Roy was there waiting for Jen. Alex tried to get Hailey and himself out of there, but Roy pulled a gun on them. He then tied them up. When Jen got there, he said he was her husband. He kept referring to my brother Cody has her lover boy."

Agent Jones, "Was Mrs. McGovern having a sexual relationship with your brother?"

"I don't believe so," Matt said. "Alex mentioned that Roy had Hailey's birth certificate and Cody was listed as Hailey's father. So that might be why he was calling him lover boy. My brother would have been very happily married at the time of Hailey's birth. Cody and his wife were expecting a baby as well about that time. Jen had confirmed with the Ranger's that Roy was Hailey's father, but Hailey believed her father died in a car accident a couple of months before she was born. Alex was under the impression that Cody was aware of the birth certificate, but said he was not her father."

"Your brother had not told you?" Agent Jones asked.

"No, I was not aware of it at all." Matt said.

"It seems like Mrs. McGovern is good at lying. Why would you think she was telling the truth about Officer McGovern?" Agent Jones asked.

"You can get an instinct for someone. I have known her since she was a child, so I know it's not in her nature. If you had seen how difficult it was for her to tell me what she went thru, you would know she was telling the truth."

"Thank you for your directness, Director Hawkes, I will be in touch. We will need to setup an interviewed with the other rangers in the morning, say 9 am at the ranger station. I think we are done with your team for tonight. I will have questions for your brother, Mrs. McGovern and possibly their children to confirm what you have said."

"See you at nine am tomorrow." Matt confirmed.

Matt went over to his children and gave them both hugs, "let's go home." Matt stated.