Colorado Abduction - By Cassie Miles & Marie Ferrarella Page 0,66
negotiating or competition. “You’re safe. That’s the important thing.”
“We got a phone call from the kidnapper. And from Nicole. She told Dylan that—”
“Nicole? You’re sure it was her?”
“Dylan recognized her voice, and he ought to know. She told him to meet her at the creek. She’d be there after the ransom was delivered here. So Dylan and I split up to handle both things. That must mean there are two kidnappers.”
“Butch Thurgood and Pete Richter,” he said. “Logan already ratted them out.”
“Did you rescue the women and children at the compound?”
“Worked out as planned. Logan is in custody.” He needed to step up and take charge of the operation again. “Before I get back to business, there’s something I need to tell you.”
A brave smile twitched her lips. “Do you mean I have your undivided attention? For the next two minutes?”
“Forever,” he said. “You will always have my undivided attention. Carolyn, you’re the center of my universe.”
Her green eyes widened. “I am?”
“You look surprised.”
“Oh, yeah. I definitely am. Stunned, even.”
In a way, he was amazed, too. They’d only known each other for a couple of days, and he wasn’t generally given to emotional outbursts. “I love you, Carolyn.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him hard. He loved her passion. Her strength. Her character.
She whispered, “I love you, too.”
For a moment they stared into each other’s eyes, basking in the strange glow of this shocking discovery. They were in love, capital L-O-V-E.
MacKenzie rode up beside them. His face was somber. “Lucas didn’t make it.”
“I’m sorry,” Carolyn said in a measured tone. “He died trying to save my life.”
If she didn’t want to condemn him, Burke wouldn’t refute her. Lucas had died and there was no reason to tarnish his good reputation. “Carolyn, where did you drop the ransom?”
“On the rocks.”
He snapped off an order, “MacKenzie, go to those rocks in the center of the field. Look for a backpack.”
“Backpack?”
“You heard him,” Carolyn said. “A huge backpack full of money. A million dollars in cash.”
The young man blinked. “Holy crap.”
“Go,” Burke ordered.
While he took out his cell phone, Carolyn repositioned herself so she was sitting in front of him on the saddle. He contacted Corelli and told him where Dylan was headed.
He hoped there would be a happy ending for all of them, that Dylan would ride back to the ranch with Nicole. He wrapped his arms around Carolyn’s slender waist. “Do you want to ride back on your own horse?”
“Not really.” She snuggled against him. “I used to be so concerned about appearances, worried that the ranch hands wouldn’t respect me if I showed weakness or emotion.”
“Unless they’re blind and deaf, I’m pretty sure they know something’s going on between us.”
“Do you think so?”
He’d spent last night in her bed, and they hadn’t exactly been silent. “They know.”
As she rested against him, they watched the cowboys climbing over La Rana, searching every crevice. MacKen-zie waved both arms. “It’s not here.”
The ransom was gone. Burke had expected as much. Butch and Richter had figured out a simple but clever drop point. All they had to do to create a diversion was fire a gun and get out of the way while the stampeding herd covered their escape. “What happened when Lucas was shot?”
“I had made the drop, and I was trying to get out of the field. He rode ahead of me, clearing a path. Then, he turned in the saddle and spotted something behind me.”
“On La Rana?”
“Yes,” she said. “Lucas didn’t have time to pull his rifle before they opened fire. Lucas was the traitor.”
“I know.”
“But he admitted that he’d made a mistake.” She exhaled a shuddering breath. “I want to remember the good things about him.”
It was hard to believe Logan had no part in this operation, but he clearly hadn’t expected the raid on the compound. Additionally, the FBI team with the chopper had taken the smugglers on the Indian Trail into custody. “When we get back to the ranch, it’s going to be chaos. There will be hostages to process. And a mob of FBI to deal with.”
“There’s only one thing I’m worried about,” she said.
“Me?” he asked hopefully.
She twisted her head to kiss his neck. “Do I need to worry about you?”
“Not really. I know where I stand.”
“Where’s that, Burke?”
“At your side. As long as you’ll have me.”
“That sounds good,” she said. “But I wasn’t really talking about you. I’m worried about what’s happening between Dylan and Nicole. The problems between them run deep.