Page 44 of Operation: Return

Erica’s stomachdropped and she couldn’t breathe or speak. Her knees went weak and she leaned against the window for support. Cole didn’t think Pete was his? How could that be? Pete looked just like him and they’d even talked on their date about Pete. Then again, she hadn’t come right out and said ‘Pete is yours’ and maybe that was necessary.

But if he didn’t think Pete was his son, then he had to believe she’d been cheating while Cole was still here. She covered her mouth to prevent from getting sick all over him. How could he believe she would be so awful to him? He’d been the only one to ever treat her with love and respect. How could she ever repay that with a cheating heart? Did he believe that their passionate relationship was only ever physical?

“I can’t . . . believe.” She swallowed hard and closed her eyes.

Cole gripped her elbows gently, giving her support. Even though he thought the absolute worst of her, he was still here. Still caring for her. She didn’t deserve a man that good, and he had to believe that deep down too, if he thought she’d cheated on him.

“No. There is no possible way that man could be Pete’s father.” She looked him in the eye and the trust in his took her by surprise. He was starting over, believing that Pete wasn’t his son yet would do whatever it took to return him.

Was he unwilling to see what was right in front of him because of how much he hated his former self? Was he worried he would hate Pete if Pete were his?

“You’re sure. Absolutely certain that this isn’t someone from your past?” Cole tightened his grip slightly, then let her go.

“I am. I couldn’t be more certain.” She turned back to the window, unable to look him in the eye and say the words she had to say to make absolutely certain he did his best to bring back her son, and his. “His father is dead. He died shortly after Pete was born.” At least, if Cole had told her the proper series of events, she was pretty sure.

Cole took a step back from her, whipped his hat off his head and raked his hand through his hair. “Then we’ve eliminated one suspect. I guess that part is good.”

ChapterSeventeen

After they’d gone through questioning, which hadn’t lasted long for either of them since Cole hadn’t even been in the area and Erica was obviously not the man in the image, they headed outside to keep a lookout for anyone out of place.

He wanted to question her further about Pete’s dead father. Dead. Not him. She would tell him. Why was he so stuck on believing Pete was his when she had all but denied it? And now was not the time to push her with questions. Once they found Pete, and he was safe, then Cole would ask all his questions and decide what to do with the information she gave.

“I think the hay loft in the barn would be a good place to watch. We’ll be out of the way of Dominic’s men and we’ll be close if Edwyn gets a ransom demand.”

She nodded. “And you got a ransom before? When Gabby was taken?”

He nodded, trying to recall exactly how it had happened. Since Scarlet hadn’t been his guest, he’d only been involved in parts of that situation. Though he’d been deeply involved when Viceroy’s men had come to Wayside, shooting and trying to take prisoners. “Last time they called and asked for a trade. It was a trap to be honest with you. But we did get Gabby back.”

“They couldn’t have taken him far. They can’t want him for anything but a trade.”

“If the men are connected to the ones we met at the gas station, they want Scarlet back. She is the one they’ll try to trade for. I can’t be sure, of course, but I have to believe Pete is still close by.” And he couldn’t explain how he could feel that, after knowing the boy for only a few days, but he could. He would swear an oath on a Bible if he was asked if he felt Pete was near.

He helped her climb the ladder to the loft and they went to the large window in the front where the pully line used to run. The barn was old and had been built in the early 1900s. Teddy had only updated it, not rebuilt it, since the barn was solid. There was still an old pully system attached to the center beam of the roof high above them that used to be pulled by horses outside the barn. The pully at one time had a hay clamp attached, but that was long gone now. Barn swallows flew in and out of opening for the pulley.

Men road off on horseback or ATVs in pairs. A few were with the Wayside guys, the others were groups of Guardians. He didn’t know all of Dominic’s men, but they seemed to be good guys who followed orders. Edwyn would’ve checked them over after Dominic sent the background checks. He trusted Dominic, but couldn’t help wondering about the dark-clothed attacker.

The same dark clothes that Dominic’s men wore.

He’d wanted to believe it was a stranger. For multiple reasons.

He’s dead . . .Erica’s words slammed into his chest. Pete’s father was dead. He’d hoped she would say the man couldn’t be Pete’s father because he was standing right in front of her. He rebuilt some of the wall he’d allowed her to break down. He needed some of the protection.

When this was all over, they could start over when there wasn’t a kidnapping standing in the way of talking about everything. Then they could decide if their past and their present were enough to attempt a future.

He shook his head and turned away from the view and away from Erica. Who was he kidding? He hadn’t had more than a ‘present’ for the past six years. He had no future outside of Wayside because he didn’t exist. There was no Cole Bradley. He had no valid Social Security number. He had no parents or history. He had no work history. He belonged nowhere and belonged to no one. That meant he couldn’t leave.

And right now, Wayside was no place to raise a family. Junior and Gabby had to be thinking of that as well. Maybe they’d even talked about moving off the ranch? He couldn’t do that. He couldn’t even rent an apartment without proper ID. Technically, every time he drove a car he was breaking the law.

He felt the persona of Cole take over, the snarly side of him that he’d shoved away while Erica was around. Now, he needed that side, the protection that gruff exterior offered. He needed facts and action, not feelings.

“I need you to tell me everything you did today. Every. Single. Thing. Don’t leave out anything that might not seem important. Did anyone call you? Did you see anyone when you walked to the building this morning? Did you get any calls that seemed odd, even if they weren’t threatening?”

Erica sat down and dangled her feet out of the door as she leaned against the opening. She was silent for a while and his desire to hear answers now warred against his calmer side that said she was dealing with this as best she could and needed a moment to think.

“There was nothing different this morning from last morning. Pete picked out his clothes and told me that you would be busy so he had to stay with me. He was bummed, but also excited because he would get to watch television and he hasn’t been able to since we got here.” She licked her lips.

He tried not to focus on her, but on her words.

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