Colorado Abduction - By Cassie Miles & Marie Ferrarella Page 0,44
I have to take this call.”
“Thank you, Wentworth,” Carolyn said, “for all you’ve done.”
“It’s my job, ma’am.”
“Can you explain to me why Jesse isn’t awake?”
“There’s no medical explanation, ma’am. But I’ll tell you this. Jesse’s no slacker. When he decides to wake up, I guarantee he’ll be raring to go.”
Though Wentworth was obviously concerned, he kept his fears to himself. His stoicism reminded Carolyn of the cowboy ethic. Never show emotion.
She wanted to scream, to jump up and down and rail against the bastards who had put this good man in the hospital.
“Is there anything I can do?” she asked. “Should we call in a specialist?”
“Jesse’s getting first-rate care,” Wentworth said. “It helps to have two of us here, 24/7. We’re also keeping tabs on your ransom money.”
Swept up in concern for Jesse, she’d almost forgotten that the ransom had been delivered here to the hospital so the traitor at the ranch wouldn’t know the money had arrived. A million dollars in cash! How could she forget? “It’s in a backpack?”
“Yes, ma’am. A real big backpack.”
Burke completed his call and rejoined them. Without missing a beat, he said. “We’ll be taking the ransom with us.”
“Yes, sir.”
Burke slipped easily into the leadership role. Though he wasn’t Wentworth’s boss or his client, he still commanded respect. The only time she’d seen that fierce composure slip was with Sunny. Handling a woman in labor had dumbfounded Special Agent Burke.
He turned to her. “That was Corelli on the phone. Logan has called the ranch twice, looking for you. It’s worth finding out what he wants.”
“It’s probably about Sunny.”
“Most likely,” Burke said. “If he tries to contact you again, Corelli will patch the call through to my phone.”
“Okay.” She didn’t want to talk to Logan, but Burke was right. She might learn something useful.
“Wentworth,” Burke said, “I’ve got another assignment for you. We have another witness at the hospital who needs a full-time guard. She’ll be in the maternity wing.”
Though Wentworth nodded, he said, “Could be a problem, sir. There are only two of us, and we need to take turns sleeping and watching Jesse.”
“I’m leaving an FBI agent here with you.”
“Silverman?” she asked.
“He might as well stay here,” Burke said. “You saw how he was fawning all over Sunny.”
“I thought he was sweet,” she said.
Burke turned to Wentworth. “Can you manage with three guards?”
“I’ll work it out, sir.”
“Actually,” Carolyn said, “you’ll be watching three people. Jesse, Sunny and a newborn baby.”
Burke’s cell phone rang. He checked the ID and handed it to her. “It’s Logan. Don’t tell him anything about Sunny.”
She took the phone from him and answered, “What do you want?”
“I knew you’d be awake,” he said. “There are probably a half dozen feds monitoring the phones. Did they get you out of bed? Are you wearing one of those skimpy little nightshirts? I remember a blue one with butterflies.”
A shudder of revulsion went through her. She hated that he knew what she wore to bed. “Why did you call?”
“Where’s Sunny?”
“Who? What are you talking about?”
“Sunny,” he repeated. “She was one of the women you were talking to today. She ran off, and I’m pretty damn sure she came to you for help.”
From the way he was talking, she didn’t think he’d actually seen them rescuing Sunny. It would be useful to know if any of those people with flashlights had spotted them. “Why would you think she came to me?”
“Because you put ideas in her head. I know how you are.”
He knew nothing about her. And, apparently, nothing about their hostage extraction. She gave a short laugh and said, “You think I poisoned her mind? Convinced her to leave you?”
“That’s right.”
“In case you hadn’t noticed,” she said, “I kind of have my hands full. Why would I care about some woman who was dumb enough to join up with you in the first place?”
“Like you,” he reminded her. “You used to be with me.”
“Thank God I came to my senses.”
“Where else would Sunny run to? She came to your ranch,” he said. “You should know that she’s a liar. A runaway that I picked up off the streets. You can’t believe a word she says.”
“She’s not at the ranch, Logan.”
“Don’t mess with me.”
“Or else?” She laughed again, harshly. “What are you going to do?”
“You think you’re untouchable. You’re the high-and-mighty Carolyn Carlisle. But I know how to bring you down.”
Was he talking about Nicole? Would he hurt Nicole to get back at her? “Are you threatening me? Again?”
“Take it any way you