Page 62 of Landon

With their bags loaded, Tad hopped into the passenger seat while she, Penny, and Landon slipped into the back. Landon reached over, his hand finding hers, their fingers interlacing as they settled into the peaceful quiet of the drive. She watched the rolling Montana landscape unfold outside the window, so vastly different from Jamaica yet bringing a profound sense of peace. She felt as if she were finally home.

As they pulled up to the front of the ranch house, the kids barely waited for the SUV to come to a complete stop before they tumbled out, rushing toward the two elderly figures standing on the porch. Their grandparents enveloped them in hugs and kisses, the love spilling over. Noel felt the familiar tug of emotion, her heart warming at the sight.

“Come on inside,” Margaret urged gently, beckoning them all toward the house.

Noel glanced down and sighed. Seeing Landon's raised brow, she explained, “I'm grungy, never showered after everything this morning, and quite honestly would love to find my bed and sleep for about two days.”

He slung his arm around her shoulders and inclined his head toward the house. “First of all, you're beautiful, but I understand how you feel. We’ll finish this, and then you can get home.”

“Yes, but there's a lot to go over here, right?”

He looked down and held her gaze, then nodded slowly. “Yeah. I'm sure Margaret will have the kids, so be prepared to go over exactly what happened with Pamela and the entire last couple of days with Stan.”

She took a deep breath and plastered on a wide, deliberately exaggerated smile. “Oh, goody,” she said, feigning enthusiasm.

He laughed, pulling her a little closer with a gentle squeeze. Together, they followed the others into the warmth of the ranch house, ready to face the final pieces of this journey, hand in hand.

27

The moment they stepped into the warmth of the ranch house, Landon wasn’t surprised to see Margaret gently ushering Tad and Penny upstairs, her voice soft but commanding as she fussed over them. He could hear her words of comfort, promising clean clothes and warm showers as she called for the housekeeper to tend to their laundry. Her maternal touch seemed to envelop the children, offering them the security they hadn’t felt from their mom.

Standing nearby, Thurston extended a firm, heartfelt handshake to Landon, then turned to Noel, his gaze filled with gratitude that words couldn’t quite convey. Landon noticed the same raw emotion in Thurston’s face that he’d seen in Stan’s back at the airport—a profound, unfiltered relief mixed with something unbreakable, a kind of respect and quiet awe.

“I can’t thank you enough,” Thurston said, his voice thick with emotion. He cleared his throat, trying to steady himself. “Please, come into the study. Stan and I need to hear everything—without the chance of the kids overhearing.”

Landon placed a gentle hand on Noel’s lower back, guiding her in front of him as they entered the study. He glanced around, finding it exactly as he’d expected—a sanctuary of warmth anddignity. The walls were lined with bookshelves filled with worn volumes, each one likely holding its own history in this house. A large window framed a view of the vast ranch, stretching endlessly under the Montana sky. The wood floors, softened by thick green-and-maroon rugs, grounded the space, while a comfortable sofa against the far wall seemed to invite honest conversations. A double desk sat between the windows, a sturdy piece that had clearly served both Stan and Thurston for years.

Stan indicated they should take the sofa. He and his father turned the two cushioned, wooden chairs from in front of their desks to face the couch. Once settled, Margaret entered. She smiled, and then her gaze landed on Thurston. “I had our cook prepare something light to eat for everyone. Do you think you’ll be long, honey?”

“Why don’t you ensure the kids eat once ready? We’ll have something when we’ve finished.”

Her lips tightened as she blinked several times, then quickly wiped at an errant tear. Thurston jumped to his feet and wrapped his arms around her. “Now, now, Margaret. The kids are home safe.”

She exhaled shakily, brushing away a tear that had slipped free. Her gaze turned to Noel, a look of both strength and vulnerability in her eyes. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to speak with you later, to learn what I can do to help Tad and Penny through… all of this.”

Noel nodded, her voice soft but steady. “I promise we’ll talk before I leave. I’ll make sure you know everything I can share to help them.”

Landon stole a glance at Noel, taking in the exhaustion etched on her face and the subtle tension in her shoulders, yet still seeing the compassion and determination that drove her. Despite the toll of the past few days and the physical and emotional exhaustion weighing her down, she was still here,willing to give more of herself. A surge of admiration welled in him, mixed with something deeper—an ache he wasn’t ready to name. He simply took her hand in his and squeezed it gently, letting her feel his quiet support.

As soon as Margaret left, Stan leaned forward, his voice low and firm. “I want everything,” he said, his words filled with an urgency he could barely contain. “I need to know what my children went through, what happened, what their mother did—or didn’t do. Leave nothing out. Please.” His gaze flickered between Landon and Noel, a man ready to face whatever truth they brought to light, no matter how painful, because his love for his children demanded it.

Landon looked over at Noel. “I’ll let you speak about what all happened, and then I can add my thoughts and conversations with Pamela, Tad, and Penny.”

He nodded, then faced Stan and Thurston. “Most of this information you know from LSIMT keeping you in the loop with everything we encountered once we arrived at the resort where Pamela had a house. I will say that she appeared distraught?—”

“Hmph,” Stan grunted.

Landon didn’t acknowledge the interruption but continued. “We questioned her, the housekeeper, Horticia, and Roger?—”

“Goddamn fuckin’ leech,” Stan snarled.

“Stan, they’ll get finished a helluva lot faster if you keep your comments to yourself,” Thurston chastised.

Stan nodded, but before Landon could continue, Noel said, “Mr. Fugate, I know this is so hard for you to hear. But, at that moment, I can truthfully tell you that Pamela was very upset. Now, what other emotions was she feeling? I can’t be sure. But she was desperate for the kids to be safe.”

He nodded, then mumbled, “I’m sorry. Please continue.”

“We waited until our people could ping the call that came in and comb through the CCTV footage in the area. Since theywere taken from the beach and immediately walked through the jungle to get to their vehicle, we didn’t want to waste time. Once we had the area and knew the storm was coming, Noel and I went after them. They were held about twenty miles away from the resort.”

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