Page 95 of Christmas with Three Cowboys

“Fucking Melissa,” Laurel sighs, lowering her gaze. “I knew this was gonna come back to haunt me someday.”

“Whose fault is it, though?” I ask Laurel. “You’re the one who placed a hand on the bible and lied your ass off.”

“It wouldn’t have been my first choice, in hindsight.”

“But it was a choice you made, nonetheless. What are you going to do about it now? Because you know you’re not walking out of here until you start telling the truth,” I reply. “It’s not about five years in prison for Melissa anymore. It’s about her life, and you don’t want that on your conscience. If you think the cartel is scary, wait until I have to cope with losing her. Nobody’s going to save you from my wrath.”

She’s perfectly aware. It’s written all over my face. It’s embedded in the tone of my voice. She understands the repercussions. And I certainly am not joking, nor am I trying to scare her. I have every intention of making her life miserable if she doesn’t come through for Melissa.

“We’re tired of fending off cartel drug lords,” Colton politely chimes in. “And Melissa feels the same way. Whatever issue you had with her, it cannot be worth putting her through this hell,especially when there are consequences to your actions. As you can see, the past is now catching up with you. Sooner or later, we will get enough evidence to bury you and Jake Miller—if the cartel doesn’t bury you first, just to cover their asses. We’re pretty sure they already did away with that Bruce fella.”

The blood drains from her face. “Bruce?”

“The other false witness,” Colton says. “Surely you remember him.”

She nods silently.

“He’s nowhere to be found. And trust me, we dug deep. We have connections throughout the government. A man who vanishes like Bruce did is not breathing anymore. So do yourself a favor. Help us, and we’ll help you.”

“These are your only options,” I add.

“Dammit, fine,” Laurel replies, resting her face in her bare hands. “I’ll write a statement, whatever.”

“Excellent,” Colton replies. “We’ll get the sheriff in here to do a proper recording of your statement. And any information you have that can back up your new testimony will come in handy. I’ll personally make sure you’re safe until the federal authorities take you into custody and move you into WitSec.”

Laurel gives him a hard look. “Wasn’t Melissa under your care when she was taken?”

I ignore her jab as I get up and join my brother outside. We leave Laurel behind and in Kavanaugh’s custody. He goes in and takes over the conversation. He knows what to do next, and we know we’re one step closer to clearing Melissa’s name. If only we could also find her before it’s too late...

“It’s better than nothing,” Colton says.

“I agree. I just—”

His phone rings. I notice Sammy’s name on the Caller ID. Colton answers, a stern look casting a deep shadow over his eyes.

“What is it? Wait… What?” He looks at me. I see a whole new kind of horror in his gaze, his lips slowly parting. Dread. Devastation. My stomach drops and my insides tighten as I hold my breath, as I expect to hear the worst possible news. I’m not ready to lose this fight, dammit. I’m not ready to give up on Melissa and our babies. Our future. Our life together. No. “Okay, Sammy. We’ll be there soon.”

“What’s wrong?” I ask as he hangs up.

“The cartel is at the ranch”

We drive back to the ranch in the dead of night, darkness swallowing the snowy hills around us. The moon hides behind thick clouds, nary a star in the sky. I suppose it’s befitting how we feel, how this entire situation is unraveling in darkness and endless fear.

Any moment, now, we could either win or lose.

Melissa could survive or we might have to bury her. And our unborn children.

“I don’t like this,” I tell Colton as we pull up outside the house. “We should’ve told Kavanaugh.”

“He’s getting us a location for Jake,” my brother replies. “We need him focused on that. Besides, if the cartel is here tonight, what does that tell you?”

It hits me harder than the icy, midnight air as we get out of his truck and count four silver Escalades parked right in front of the porch.

“What did Sammy tell you?” I ask.

“That the cartel is here, and they want Melissa or the money.”

“Shit,” I say. That’s the suspicion I’ve been nursing on the way here. “They don’t know what Jake did today.”

---