Page 49 of Operation: Return

Why would he ask that? All the men had been sent out to look for him. She stood and backed away from him. “Yes, my son.”

He looked confused for only a moment, then seemed to remember himself. Connor’s door opened and the man suddenly turned away from Edwyn and Dominic. Only then did she realize he’d asked her all sorts of questions but hadn’t even introduced himself. “I’ll see you around. Thanks for your help.” He headed for the door.

Erica opened her mouth but wasn’t sure what to say. Neither Edwyn nor Dominic seemed concerned about the man’s presence as he left. Edwyn came up to her.

“Are you alright? You look shaken. Did someone find something?”

Her body felt shaky, and she wondered if the feeling was visible. “That man. Did either of you know him?”

Both men turned for the door, but Edwyn spoke first. “I thought he was one of your men.”

Dominic shook his head. “I assumed he was one of yours.”

Edwyn reached for his walkie. “Men, be on the lookout for a man in dark clothing. He’s dressed like one of The Guardians, but is not with them. He’ll be walking alone.” Edwyn stuck the walkie back on his belt. “What did he say to you?”

“He was heading for the kitchen and thought I was one of the guests.”

Dominic shook his head slowly. “I didn’t tell any of my men the exact scope of this ranch. I didn’t even find out about the guests until Cole told me right before we went to town. None of my men know there are guests here. They would assume it is just a ranch like any other. I only told them Cole needed our help with security from people trespassing.”

“How could he know about the kitchen?” Edwyn glanced between Dominic and Erica.

Deputy Blake came out of Edwyn’s office holding his phone to his ear. He ended the call and shoved the phone into his pocket. “Is everyone ready for the meeting?”

Just then, Cole came out of the kitchen and closed the door behind him. His gaze locked onto hers. “What’s wrong?”

Even after she’d driven him away, he could still read her. Just like Taylor. She should’ve told him. She should’ve trusted him, but after what she’d said he’d be angry.

Edwyn quickly told Detective Blake and Cole what happened and that all the men were out looking for the intruder. He sighed. “The fact is, we don’t have enough men for a situation like this. I don’t have the jurisdiction to call in help.”

“Then I suggest you pretend you didn’t hear that my men will be doing what they can,” Dominic practically snarled.

“I can’t just let you run roughshod. The boy needs to be found but we have to follow due process.” The detective went toe-to-toe with Dominic. Even though he stood a good five inches shorter, the deputy didn’t back down.

Edwyn stuck his arm between them and separated the two. “This isn’t helping find Pete. Our guys are looking for anyone who doesn’t belong, a job made difficult by the fact that my men don’t know who’s with the Guardians and who isn’t, but I trust them to hunt and verify. No one is going to just go shooting at people.”

Erica closed her eyes and cold dread seeped over her. For the first time in her life, she wasn’t so sure she wanted the peaceful option.

ChapterNineteen

Tension slunk around the room like an animal on the prowl. Cole sat at a table within a few feet of Erica but left her alone. She’d run from their conversation in the hayloft, so he had to consider her finished with him. For now. She’d given him a lot to think about. Both in what she said, and what she hadn’t.

He dialed in his focus on Edwyn and the transcript taken from the call that had come in. Edwyn had the foresight to record it, then use the phone’s technology to get a transcript.

Deputy Blake sat at a table and drummed his fingers, waiting for everyone to sit down. Dominic stood by the door, looking more like he was guarding the entry than listening. Cole knew better, Dominic would take in every bit of information and use it to help them form a plan to get Pete back. He absorbed information like a cat absorbed sunlight.

Edwyn finally stood and glanced around the room at the few people in attendance. He, Dominic, and Erica had arrived last. Junior had led them in and Edwyn, Teddy, and Deputy Blake had already been there.

“About an hour ago, I got off the phone with an unnamed man who gave me the ransom information for Pete. I asked to hear Pete’s voice and I can confirm he was there,” Edwyn started.

Erica made a soft gasping sound and covered her mouth. Cole gripped the chair, controlling his need to go to her. She didn’t want him right now. Maybe she never had or would. Either way, now was not the time. She was thinking of her son. One hundred percent. As she should. Not about him, what he’d done, or how her words might be taken. And, as he put together all the things she’d said, he still held out hope they could work everything out. Hope was all he had.

When Erica had been angry and hurt and had talked about her past, she’d sounded almost as if he would’ve fit in with her life as it was. Like he would’ve stepped in as Pete’s father. While she’d made it clear she wanted the old Taylor back, the boy he once was never would’ve accepted someone else’s child.

Taylor loved Erica in the way an eighteen-year-old boy could, but he also had the latent hot-headed nature Cole now embraced completely. He would’ve absolutely left her behind at the time if she’d cheated on him. Going through what he’d gone through had grown him up a lot since then. Which meant, assuming she knew him as well as he thought she did, there was still a chance Pete was his. His reasoning was flimsy at best, but he clung to it.

He wasn’t sure what her reasons were for hiding the facts but part of him could understand why she wouldn’t want to tell him. She’d been the sole provider and parent for Pete his entire life. No help, but no one to challenge her either. She’d decided how to raise her son and be the parent she never had. She didn’t have any guide in how to parent, so she definitely didn’t know how to parent with someone else.

If she thought he might only be trying to gain her forgiveness just so he could either take her son or force her into partial custody, he could totally understand why she wouldn’t trust someone who she didn’t know. Especially with a story as crazy as his.

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