Page 67 of Protected Hearts

Carson dialed Colt. “Whatcha got for us?” he asked as soon as the call connected.

“The footage shows Shiloh leaving the ranch. She runs to the truck and takes off.”

“And the computer?”

“She wiped the browser history, but there’s a trace of something pointing to an email.”

“He contacted her by email?”

“That’s what I’m thinking. Which is why I checked all flights coming into the area.”

Oaks’s heart ramped up an extra beat. “What did you find?”

“A chartered plane landed at the private airstrip at 0530.”

“Is it still there?”

“I asked. Yes, it’s still there, but set for takeoff within the hour.”

Carson took a sharp turn to bypass the stown and head to the airstrip that was off the beaten path. “Tell the airport personnel to stall them.”

Oaks nodded as if Colt could see. “Then call the sheriff’s office and get them to meet us there. We need all the backup we can get. Colt, we need you too. Leave Willow to man the office.”

“You’re sure you don’t want Willow? She’s a damn good shot.” Colt’s statement brought Oaks out of the hole he felt himself sinking deeper into by the moment.

He had to get to Shiloh. Had to get her back in his arms, safe where she belonged.

“We need Willow safe.”

Since Oaks didn’t agree to Colt bringing Willow into the fight, he changed gears. “You’re right. I’m right behind you. I’ll tell the airport to stall that plane.”

Once the call ended, silence resounded through the SUV. Neither Carson nor Oaks had anything to say.

As the small sign for the airstrip came into view, Carson stomped on the gas. “When we get there, you should hang back.”

He whipped his head to look at his brother. “You’re telling me to stay out of this fight?”

“You’re too emotionally invested.”

“And did you sit out when it was Layne?” He swallowed the sharp, burning lump in his throat. “This is worse, man. Shiloh is my wife.”

Carson’s chest heaved. “Promise you’re not going in with guns blazing. We don’t want her caught in the crossfire.”

“I will do whatever I need to do to get her back. I didn’t marry her for love, but goddammit, I can’t lose her.”

Chapter Sixteen

Shiloh had never been inside such a small airport hangar before. The industrial structure had high ceilings supported by sturdy metal beams. Two small planes were parked inside. One of them looked like an oversized insect with a bubble-shaped body and flimsy wings.

“I hope you don’t intend to put me in that thing. It doesn’t look like it can get off the ground with more than one passenger.” She waved a hand at the aircraft.

William stood close to her, and Collette Drummond, or whatever her real name was, flanked her on the other side. The two of them weren’t letting her get far, not that Shiloh had any brilliant ideas for escape.

Her captors traded a look she couldn’t discern. Either they wanted to bash her over the head so she quit talking, or her question made them think harder about how they were all getting out of here.

Drummond leaned in close to William. The covert whispers they traded didn’t speak as loud as their body language did. One look at how they moved in sync told Shiloh that they were lovers.

At one time, she would have been annoyed to learn this. Now, she couldn’t give less of a damn. She would happily invite them to climb into that small bug of a plane and fly off into the sunset—or sunrise in this case.

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