Page 144 of The Doctor's Irreplaceable Love

She pulled out the first folder she could see and handed it to him.As she’d hoped, he put the pistol down as he took it.

She was going to have to think fast—he’d soon see that what she’d given him wasn’t a copy of Jim’s will.

~ ~ ~

Trip clung to the handle above the door as Trav drove them away from Chico and out onto East River Road.As he scanned the surrounding trees, he saw for the first time why some people described this place as desolate.He’d loved the valley his whole life, but without Shelley, it now felt empty—he felt empty.

“We’re going to find her, bud,” said Trav.“We’re going to find her, and she’s going to be okay.”

Trip squeezed his eyes shut.He had to believe that Trav was right.He couldn’t face …

He swiped to answer his phone as it rang.

“Where are you guys?”Cash asked without preamble.

“We just left Chico.Where are we going—do you have anything yet?Does Amelia?”

“Not yet.Ford just got her back to the ranch.She’s getting her gear set up and she has Shelley, Harper, and Jim’s numbers.She should be able to …”

“Where the fuck were you?”Trip couldn’t help it—he had to ask.He hadn’t considered Gavin to be a threat because of Cash.Gavin had gone looking for him—and Trip had been looking forward to Cash letting him find him.

“I’m sorry, bud.I’m so fucking sorry.I was heading back to Jim’s when I saw Gavin’s SUV.By all accounts, he was out looking for me, so I figured I’d see if he’d follow me.He did, so I led him away from town.I was thinking of a place where we could have a chat that he wouldn’t come back from.But the fucker fooled me.By the time I had him up in the wilderness and he got out of the vehicle—it wasn’t him.It was one of Jim’s hands.

“I’ve pieced the story together.Seems like Gavin traded vehicles with this asshole so that I’d fall for it—and I fucking did.And that left Gavin free to come after Shelley in a truck no one recognized as his.There was another of Jim’s hands in on the deal as well—he called Banner down to the barn to some made-up emergency.Gavin knew Jim would tell Banner to go check on it before they all came out.

“The hand snuck up on Banner and knocked him out cold—leaving Jim and Harper sitting ducks waiting for Gavin to come by.I’m so sorry, Trip.I … hang on a minute.This is Amelia.Let me just …”

Trip exchanged a glance with Trav, who reached across and grasped his shoulder.“She’s going to be okay.”

Cash’s voice came back through the speakers, filling the cab of the truck as he said, “Go ahead, Amelia, darlin’.What can you tell us?”

“That this is like déjà vu all over again.Hey, Trip.Sorry, I don’t mean to be flippant, but do you guys remember where that crazy guy took Shayna?Do you remember when we did the AAR afterward, and we figured that he’d planned to use that old cabin?Well, all three phone signals put Shelley, Jim, and Harper in that same cabin right now.There’s another cellphone present too.I’m sure in a minute or two I’ll be able to confirm that as Gavin Sheridan’s.”

Trip gripped the handle tighter as Trav put his foot down.

“We’re almost to the forest service road,” Trip told Cash.

“I’m not far off myself.I’ll call around and get everyone up there.I want to tell you to wait for me at the last turnoff so that we can …”

“Fuck that!”Trip ground out.

“Yeah, I figured,” said Cash.“I’ll have your six.But remember he’s got Jim and Harper in there too.Shelley’s your priority, and that’s as it should be, but Jim’s …”

“He is,” Trip agreed.“We’re going in when we get there.”

Trav glanced over at him.

“We’re a team for a reason,” Cash reminded him.

Trip closed his eyes as he said, “I’m not making any promises, but hurry the fuck up.”

~ ~ ~

“This isn’t the will!”Gavin shoved the folder back at Shelley.“Where is it?”

She rummaged through the boxes, hoping that she might find the actual will.There was no harm in letting him see it, since a copy of the new one was already filed with Jim’s friend in town.

She didn’t dare even glance over her shoulder, but she sensed Harper back there.

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