Patty's Homecoming, page 23
part #1 of Montana Wranglers Series
Patty screamed, the sound echoing around her as she did so. Before she was able to do another thing, she was grabbed from behind and shoved into Blake’s truck. Her head was slammed against the side of the window, and this time she actually blacked out. Her last thoughts were of Blake in the road bleeding out.
* * * *
“Blake! Blake, wake the fuck up!”
A rough hand was shaking his shoulder and that voice kept intruding into the blissful darkness of oblivion. Groaning, he tried to lift his head, tried and failed.
“About fucking time. Where did they go?” Corbin’s voice, yes, Corbin’s.
“Who?” he was sure he said, but it came out sounding wrong.
“Where is Patty? And whoever the fuck shot you.”
Shot. Right. His eyes snapped open and he tried to move, bad idea. Moaning, he curled in on himself. He was in a truck, Corbin’s he was guessing, and they weren’t moving. “Trevor has her,” he hissed out through his teeth.
“Trevor? Are you kidding me?”
“No,” he moaned and blinked his eyes open again, slowly now. Squinting, he looked around. “There,” he pointed a damn shaky finger.
Corbin looked around and nodded. “I see the tracks. Dude, you’re shot. I called in Daniel and some of the others, but I think you need the hospital more than to track this bastard.”
“Follow. The. Tracks.” His words were tight, curt, and hissed through his teeth. “He’s taking her to Trevino.”
Corbin nodded, his nod stiff and more of a jerk than anything. Spinning in his seat, he slammed the truck into gear and took off. They bounced along, not good for his wound, and he felt himself starting to lose consciousness again. Fighting to stay awake, he looked at his friend. “How bad?” he whispered, the best he could do.
“Not good, that’s for damned sure. He hit you high on the right side and I managed to get you into the truck and wrapped up but it’s definitely not stopping the bleeding. I don’t think he hit anything major but I’m no doctor.”
Nodding, Blake ran his tongue over his dry lips, tasting grit and God only knew what else from where he’d hit the dirt. “Blood loss will be the big thing.”
“Here.” Corbin reached down, under the seat and came back with a bottle of water. “Sorry, no IV or blood kicking around, this will have to do for now.”
“Better than nothing I guess,” he muttered. Taking it he tried to undo the cap but his right arm was numb, his hand useless. Grumbling he used his teeth to wrench the cap off and began to drink. Slowly, he had to remind himself, drink slowly. He didn’t need to make himself sick, that wouldn’t help his cause.
“Where is he taking her?”
“Not a clue, but I’m betting it will be off Graymont land,” he said. Closing his eyes for a moment, he hissed out a breath as they hit a deep pothole.
“Shit, sorry,” Corbin said in a rush. “Asshole couldn’t take a road like normal people.”
“Just, get there,” he wheezed out, forcing his eyes open. “He had to go off-road to avoid any of the hands. If they saw Tish in the truck with him they’d know something was wrong.”
“Damned straight, she hates his slimy ass. Good reason, too, I’m beginning to think.”
Blake grunted. The jostling around wasn’t helping him out any. Lifting the bottle with a shaky hand, he sipped some more water.
“Fuck.” Corbin slowed and squinted. “I need your eyes on this, bro. Where do I go?”
Forcing himself to focus, Blake pushed himself up in the seat. Sweat was practically pouring off his body and his vision was fuzzy, but if he didn’t focus then Patricia was dead. Not an option. Squinting, he looked at the landscape for a long time before he pointed. “Heading east, he’s going for the gate near the old dry riverbed. Right toward Marlow’s north pasture. Big, open, and empty land. Perfect place for a meet.”
Corbin turned and gunned the engine, forcing Blake back into his seat with a curse. “Sorry, shit man, sorry.”
“Just get there, call the others and let them know. Have Daniel get the sheriff out there too,” Blake said, his voice more a whisper than anything else. He could feel himself slipping toward the oblivion once more. “Find her and kill that bastard, Cor. Kill him.”
“Blake,” Corbin’s voice was so far away. “Shit, Blake!”
Then…nothing.
* * * *
When Patty shifted finally, the pain blossomed in her head and she nearly cried out, but held it in. She didn’t want Trevor to know she was awake, yet. She listened instead. She heard Trevor pacing, heard his cursing and knew that something was obviously not working out in his favor. Well, good.
She heard him cursing, could tell he was on the phone and that’s when it dawned on her, she had her phone! Thank you Corbin for buying that teeny tiny flip phone when she killed her smart phone! Slowly she reached into her pocket and pulled out the little pink Razr phone, a flashback from a long time ago but a hell of a phone all the same.
Opening it, she pressed and held the number 2, knowing it would get one of her men. She whispered into the receiver when it was answered. “Trevor has me.” Simple and to the point.
“We know,” Corbin’s voice was the one who answered her. “Where is he, babe? I’m getting close, can you see him, anything? I know where he headed and we’re almost there and so is the rest of the gang. What can you tell me?” he asked, obviously keeping his voice down as much as possible.
“I’m lying on the truck seat. He’s outside.” She whispered. “He’s yelling at someone. I see.” She looked through the front windshield and frowned. “No trees. I, oh shit, he has me at the Marlows’ old abandoned sawmill. I can see the old walkway overhead.”
“He’s probably on the phone, one of the few places on Marlow’s farm you can get reception, thank God.” He muttered the last. “Best guess is he’s probably freaking at Trevino. They likely had arranged for a different time but with Blake showing up when he did, he’s probably trying to push up the timetable. Don’t worry, we’ve alerted Mason, the sheriff, and the hands at the ranch. We’re all coming your way love, just play unconscious as much as possible, be a dead weight anytime he tries to move you. Stall and, if necessary, rip his balls off.”
“Will try.” Patty was shaking. Her fear was increasing when she heard Trevor coming close again. “He’s coming back,” she whispered before putting the phone just under the seat and then went limp with her eyes closed.
But Trevor didn’t stay by the truck long. Probably looked in, snarled “bitch” under his breath, and then his footsteps retreated. And his voice rose again as he obviously argued with someone. There were a lot of hissed out words and “look here asshole” thrown out, his voice coming closer before going further out, as if he was pacing.
“He must be pacing.” Patty whispered but didn’t move. She didn’t hear Corbin but she knew he was coming, that was all she needed to know. “Just hurry. I have the phone under the seat in case he comes back. Please, please hurry,” she begged. “Blake, oh God, is he okay? Trevor shot him.” Dear lord above, she had just thought about that. She was such a terrible woman. How the hell could she expect Blake to care about her when she had not asked about him right off?
There was a small buzzing murmur from under the seat but no distinct words. But she soon was distracted by the very distinct sound of a helicopter. The sound of rotors beating through the air could be heard getting closer to her location. Trevino, had to be.
“Oh shit. He’s got a helicopter, Cor.” She grabbed the phone and felt like crying. “How do I hotwire a car? The fucker took the keys with him, how can I get the hell away from here?” She couldn’t be taken. If they got her onto that copter, she would never be seen again and they all knew it.
“Get out of the truck, carefully but quickly. The sound will cover your movements as long as you don’t slam the door. You know the area well, run back toward the ranch love. We’re coming through the fence now.” A loud curse could be heard through the phone. “And Blake’s conscious again and in one hell of a pissy mood.”
Patty nodded. She shifted slightly, looked over the edge of the door and, seeing Trevor turned to the incoming helicopter she opened the passenger door slowly, quietly, and then took off running toward the ranch her father owned. With the phone clenched tightly in her hands she kept low, ran fast, and ducked into the trees the moment she could.
“Babe, talk to me, Tisha. Where are you? Are you safe? Shut up, Blake, I’m trying to hold a conversation here. I see the damned hole, would you stop backseat driving damn it!”
There was the sound of a scuffle, a bunch of cursing, and then yelling ensued. “Motherfucker.” Blake’s voice. “Tish, where are you?” he asked. His voice sounded weak and pained.
“Away from the truck. In the woods. Don’t think he’s realized I’m gone yet,” she whispered and then added, “Blake, you should be in a fucking hospital. Now shush it. I’m running again.” She muttered before she took off for another run.
“Stop moving!” he yelled into the phone. When she did he let out a muttered curse. “Don’t. Move. The sound of the helicopter is changing, which means they have landed. Find a hole or something to hide behind but do it slowly. Do not move, otherwise unless you are in imminent danger. Any little sound out there will attract their attention, which you do not want.”
She did just that. Finding a niche in a large tree, she looked up. “I’m holed inside of one of the trees that was once four near the mile mark between the mill and daddy’s farm.” She shifted slightly so that she could hide in the shadows and panted. “Hurry. And get Blake to the fucking hospital for the love of God.”
“I’m the one on the phone, Tish.” His dry tone came through loud and clear. “So shut up woman. We’re coming to get you and then I’ll go to the damned hospital. Shit, slow down Corbin,” he hissed suddenly. “Yeah, over there,” he added after a murmur of sound that must have been Cor.
“Call Daniel and find out where the others are, we need to know so one of them doesn’t add more holes to me.” A small snick of sound and then she could hear the faint breeze on his end of the line. He was outside the vehicle.
“We’re just down the hill from the trees you’re in. Give us the lay of the land and where they are, roughly. I really don’t want anyone coming up the hill and getting nailed if we can avoid it, Tish. Where’s the truck in relation to where you are now?” he asked.
“About two hundred feet to the southeast of me. I know, I know, I should have run farther but I was more for trying to get into the cover of trees than anything else.” Which meant she had to race in directions, zig-zagging from here to there.
“It’s better to be undercover than not,” he said. “Corbin, I swear to God, if you don’t stop harping at me like an old woman I’m going to punch you. Damn it, give me the phone.” His voice faded.
“You okay, love?” Corbin’s voice and…was he running?
“What the hell are you doing running?” Patty asked with a frown. She shifted slightly inside of the hole. The feeling of insects crawling all over her was more than a little disturbing but she refused to let it pull her out of hiding. “I’m fine. Where the hell is the sheriff? And you better have brought some big damn guns.” Dammit.
“Just avoiding gimpy there. He started to chase me but I put enough distance between us for the moment. Even wounded he’s damned fast, scary really. I’ll have to remember that if he ever pisses me off enough to shoot him. I’m aiming for a leg, that shit will slow him right down. Anyway, sheriff is on his way, so are the deputies. The hands are all around us now but waiting on the law to move in. We are currently unarmed but I have Blake so, really, I don’t need a gun. If all else fails, I’ll use him like a club.”
Patty shook her head, “You are crazy,” she whispered quietly. She moved out of the shadow of the tree and into Corbin’s arms. “Jesus,” she whispered and hugged him, tightly. “Don’t you dare hurt him any more than he is now.” She looked over her shoulder nervously. “Can we please leave? I’m really ready to leave. Please?”
“Soon,” Blake said as he appeared. He looked pale, sweaty, but he was on his feet even if he was bleeding through the bandages Corbin had wrapped around the right side of his chest. He pulled her to him, crushing her to his uninjured side. “I fucking thought I’d lost you,” he whispered into her hair, his hold a little tighter.
Patty shook her head and held onto Blake. “But you stubborn man, gosh blessed it you should be in a hospital not out here fucking looking for me.” She, however, kissed the side of Blake’s neck and held onto him, pulling him closer into the tree. “Get closer here with me, honey, so that you can at least keep your ass from being shot again.”
He settled down and pulled her into his lap. Corbin crouched close, his eyes on the direction she’d come from during her bolt from the truck. Blake held her tight and the warmth of Corbin’s hand on her back let her know where he was. They sat, in silence, waiting and, well, waiting.
Corbin seemed jumpy, turning at every little sound. Blake on the other hand, obviously much of his military career still sticking around, didn’t so much as twitch. At least, not right off. But then there was a small sound and he went deadly still. His head lifted and slowly turned to his right, north.
In a move that didn’t even betray his injury, he eased her off his lap and toward Corbin. When she opened her mouth he shot her a look and gave a small, sharp shake of his head. He got to his feet with grace and then moved, slowly, never making a sound. It was damned freaking creepy.
After a few steps, he disappeared behind a tree. There was a muffled grunt, a sharp snapping sound, and silence. Even the insects were quiet. When Blake came back, he had a shotgun in hand and tossed it to Corbin. Which made sense, they were two-handed weapons and he was currently working with only one.
He came right to her and pulled her to her feet, his lips to her ear. “Stay quiet and move with me.” Next, he looked to Corbin, pointed at the gun and mimed something she didn’t quite get. Obviously Cor did because he nodded and then, her hand in his, Blake began to move, deathly silent through the trees and farther to the west.
She had never seen this side of him. She had never been witness to the deadly destruction that Blake could pull off. However, now, now she was utterly in shock that he could. This was her Blake. He was easygoing and jovial, wow. She stepped where Blake did, her hand in his as they stuck to the shadows and seemed to move without making a sound. What…the…Hell?
She looked back at Corbin and watched him, watching Blake with the same eyes. She wasn’t afraid of him, she could never be afraid of him, but she also was worried about him. She didn’t want this to cause him flashbacks or whatnot.
When they stopped, they stopped. Blake didn’t move for the longest time. When he did, it was only his head and seemed to take forever. Little increments of movement until he was apparently looking where he wanted to be. A slow blink and then not another flicker of movement as he stared at…something.
Time ticked along, crawling slowly. Every moment they stood there felt like an eternity. But finally they were moving again. Same way, same pattern, nice and slow and extremely cautious. He was moving slower for her, she got that, she wasn’t trained like he obviously had been. He was taking extra precaution and time to get them out.
When next he stopped she nearly slammed into his back, it was so sudden. Barely stopping herself, maybe a quarter of an inch from crushing her nose on his shoulder blade, he squeezed her hand and let go. His hand caught her arm and tugged, down. He was crouching and wanted her to do the same. She didn’t know why but this was his turf, no questions needed. Yet.
Patty looked over the bush and looked back at Blake, and then slowly eased back down again instead of quickly ducking. She looked over at Blake and then to Corbin. “I thought you said that the hands were close? What the hell?” They should have backup by now, right? They should have lots of people surrounding them by now, dammit.
“They are,” Blake said, his voice very quiet, and pointed to where he was watching. “Deputy and two hands right there. Sheriff and a couple of hands to our nine o’clock, and about ten others, deputies and hands coming up on our six, or from the east for you, my dear, toward the helicopter. I’m just trying not to surprise any of them since they are all armed and jumpy. So we are going to stay right here until they pass us and then we are going to get to the truck. When it’s all done and over with, we will drive up and see what’s going on, make our statements, and both go to the hospital for a look-over.”
“Or we can go to the hospital now and get you looked over and after the sheriff has arrested the men and called in the feds they can come to the hospital and take our statements,” Patty shot back. What the fuck? How the ever-loving name of hell was this man still on his damn feet? He was bleeding, for the love of all that was holy!
He shot her a look over his shoulder and his lips curled up slightly. “Or we could do that,” he nodded. “That might be the better plan given the volume of blood I’ve lost up to this point.” A one-shoulder shrug and his attention snapped elsewhere. They could all hear the yells for hands to be put up, weapons to be dropped. There were a couple of shots fired but only when it went quiet did he stand and tug her up. “We should go now. They can be pissed at us for leaving later. You need to get your head checked, sweetheart.”
Patty looked at Corbin. The look was clear as crystal. Blake needed to get his damn head checked. Hell’s bells, he was the one who was bleeding all over hell’s half acre, not her. “Yeah. Someone needs to get something checked, that’s for sure.” Asshat. How dare he act as if he weren’t hurt at all. Holy shit.
