Secure Location - By Beverly Long Page 0,72
remarried two weeks later in a ceremony in the backyard of Sam and Claire Vernelli’s house. The bride wore a simple cream-colored dress and the groom, who had threatened to wear cargo shorts, wore black dress pants, a blue shirt and a big smile. The police chaplain did the honors, keeping it short as requested by the groom. There wasn’t a dry eye in the place when the happy couple, standing before a trellis of fresh flowers, pledged their love to one another.
There was cake and punch after the ceremony, which the bride promptly threw up. Afterward, her sort-of-new husband patted her hand and wiped her face with a cool cloth.
Claire Vernelli looked on with sympathy in her eyes and Sam handed Cruz a box of saltine crackers. Then Sam wrapped an arm protectively around Claire’s slightly rounded stomach and pulled her close. He looked across the yard at his brother Jake, who had driven down for the weekend to help get the yard and house ready. He had one arm around Joanna, who was already starting to show with their second child and the other around his young daughter, who had slept through the ceremony.
“No more cake for you, Aunt Meg,” said Jana, who’d done a bang-up job as flower girl. She danced around, twirling the ribbons on her dress, her white, patent-leather dress shoes sliding on the freshly mowed grass.
“At least not for another three months or so,” said Cruz’s mother, her brown eyes filled with happiness. “Welcome back,” she said to her daughter-in-law and held her tight.
Cruz led his wife to a chair under a big shade tree. “Are you sure you feel up to the trip?”
“Yes. Definitely yes. I have a week off before I start my new job in Chicago.”
“I still feel bad about your having to leave your job in San Antonio.”
“Don’t even think about it. I wanted to come back to Chicago. There are other hotels. There’s only one you.”
He kissed her. “I love you.”
She smiled. “I know. Now, let’s get going. We deserve that third honeymoon at Mackinaw Island. Are you packed?”
He nodded and tucked a piece of her short hair behind her ear. “Yep. Packed light. Didn’t even bother pretending that I’d use the bike shorts.”
* * * * *
Keep reading for an excerpt of Ultimate Cowboy by Rita Herron!
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Chapter One
“This special news report just in—an amber alert has been issued for six-year-old Hank Forte. Hank was last seen at the county fair in Amarillo.”
Brody Bloodworth’s heart clenched as a photo of the boy appeared on screen. The little boy had blond hair, was wearing a black T-shirt, jeans and cowboy boots. He could be one of the kids on the BBL, the Bucking Bronc Lodge he had started for needy children.
But he reminded him more of his own little brother, Will, and launched him back seven years ago to the day Will had gone missing.
Not from a county fair but from the rodeo where he was supposed to be watching him.
Self-loathing and guilt suffused him, once again robbing his lungs of air. He understood what the family of that little boy was going through now. The panic. The fear.
The guilt.
If only they’d kept a better eye on him. If only they hadn’t turned their head for a minute.
What was happening to him? Had he just wandered off? Would they find him hiding out or playing somewhere at the fair? Maybe he had fallen asleep in a stall housing one of the animals...
Or had someone taken him? Maybe a desperate woman who’d lost a child and was out of her mind? A child predator who’d do God knows what?
A killer?
The reporter turned the microphone to Hank’s parents, a couple who were huddled together, teary-eyed and frightened. A second later, they began to plead for their son’s return, and the mother broke down into sobs.
Brody hit the remote, silencing the heart-wrenching scene, but it played over and over in his head. But it wasn’t the Forte family’s