Saved by the Rancher

chapter Forty-Two


SAM PULLED INTO the driveway, noting all the men standing around, eating lunch and drinking coffee. He parked behind the classic Mustang and wondered who it belonged to. Nice ride. He got out, grinned, and caught Lily when she launched herself into his arms.

“Uncle Sam! You came.”

“Yes, darlin’. Where’s Mommy and Uncle Jack?”

“They’re in the house. Uncle Jack is very sad. We can’t find Jenna. The bad man with the knife took her.”

“You saw the bad man?” Sam didn’t like the idea of his niece being exposed to this kind of danger.

“Yes. He was big and he took Jenna into the woods. He hurt Sally.” Her little lip quivered.

Sam kissed her sweet cheek and carried Lily up the porch stairs and into the house with him. “Did the bad man say anything to you?”

“No. I watched out the window. Jenna made me go inside. I didn’t think she saw the bad man, but now, maybe she did see him, and that’s why she made me go in.”

“I think you might be right.” Sam and Lily walked into the kitchen. His sister smiled and Jack looked beat.

“How did you get here so fast?” Summer grabbed Lily and gave him a huge hug, holding on to him for a long time.

“Jack called. I came.” Sam put a hand on his sister’s rounded belly and gave her a wink. Happy for her, but his concern for Jack overshadowed everything at the moment. “Any word, brother?”

“No. The teams just came in from searching the woods behind the barn and out along the pastures. We’ll grab something to eat and head out again in an hour. It’s already late afternoon and we haven’t found any clues. Nothing. Not one damn sign of her.”

“Tell me about her, the ex, everything. How did you get involved with her? Another thing, how come I didn’t know you were getting married? I might be busy, but I’m never too busy to answer the phone and talk to my brother about his upcoming wedding.”

“Summer, take Lily outside, or home, something,” Jack pleaded. “She doesn’t need to hear about how we found Jenna and got involved.”

Summer headed out with Lily, kissing Sam’s cheek as she passed.

“Okay. Here it is . . .” Jack told Sam the whole story, everything he knew about Jenna. Sam listened, asking questions only for clarification. When Jack finished, he let out a long sigh and put his forehead down on his crossed arms on the kitchen island.

“This is quite a mess she’s in. You think she’s still alive?” Sam had his doubts at this point. He’d seen too many similar cases that ended in tragedy.

Jack raised his head, meeting Sam’s eyes. “My gut says she’s alive. I feel it. We need to find her, Sam. She’s been out there a long time.”

“We’ll go with your gut. Mine’s usually right, so we’ll trust yours. Who’s running the search, and where do we have left to look before we take this off the property?”

“The sheriff is running things with some direction from me. I sent the guards with pictures of her to check all the bus stations, airports, car rental places, anything and any way he could take her out of here. Nothing.

“We’ve searched the woods behind the house where we found Sally. I don’t think he would have continued back through there, because he’d have come to the family cabins. Too many people back that way. Someone would have seen him. I think if they were on foot, he’d have to cross the valley and go into the woods on the other side, back behind the barn. We’ve searched there, but nothing. Depending on how far he got with her on foot, the next place to look is the hills farther past the fire road. It runs through the forest and back toward the main road and the lake. But, Sam, that’s damn far for him to take her on foot.”

“But possible. We have to assume he wanted to get as far away from the ranch with her as possible. She probably went willingly to get him away from the house and Lily. He probably stashed a car on the dirt road and took her out that way. Let’s check it out.”

What Sam didn’t want to say was that she might not be on the property any longer, and they might never find her. Deep down, Jack already knew, but wasn’t ready to admit it.



AFTERNOON ALREADY, THE sun descended toward the west. Darkness would fall quickly once it passed the hills. Jenna needed to cover as much ground as possible before she lost daylight.

Walking down the road was much easier than trying to dodge branches and see a clear path through the dense forest. Still, it was slow going. Exhausted, she needed food and water. She hoped she’d come to the creek, or some kind of water she could drink. Maybe then she’d feel a little better, and she could make it to the ranch. She needed to make it back to Jack.

She didn’t come to the creek, but managed to walk for several hours, talking to herself in her mind to keep from going crazy.

Just a little farther, take one step at a time. Jack’s waiting for you. You can make it. Keep going. Think of the baby. Don’t let that bastard win. You’ve survived every other time. You’ll make it this time, too. Find Jack.

Thanks to the mostly downhill grade, she managed to cover a good distance before sunset. Worn out, she was determined to make it around the next bend before stopping to rest. She dragged her feet, putting one foot in front of the other. If she lay down again, she might sleep through the night, and she couldn’t afford to spend another night in the cold.

She came around the bend and spotted the edge of the lake past the open meadow. Unable to help herself, she started laughing. With her hoarse voice and mouth so dry, the odd sound came out more like a series of squeaky croaks, but she was elated. Maybe just hysterical.

Water. The lake meant she was close to the main road and only about five miles from the ranch. Not that far. If she could get to the main road, someone would see her.

Excited, her energy surged and she made her way to the lake. Lake water was better than no water. She knelt on the bank and leaned forward to drink. Nothing like tap water, the lake water was gritty from dirt and silt she stirred up, but it would do. Her knees and the bottom half of her legs were soaked through, making her even colder. Violent shivers shook her. Maybe getting wet wasn’t such a good idea. Thirst overrode common sense.

More tired than she’d ever felt, she couldn’t get her legs to lift her and fell back on her heels. She needed to rest. So close, but she just couldn’t go any further. Everything ached, but not as much as her head. She collapsed onto her side, her feet and knees in the water, and passed out curled on the muddy bank.