Page 89 of Soldier Cowboy
He swore to anyone who would listen that he would take care of his younger brothers if they could all remain together. Riggs had given up a lot for him and Sean. He’d been a teenager when their parents lost custody, but he became a father figure until Calvin Henderson came along and relieved him of that duty.
“I know,” Riggs said, cracking a smile for the first time. “You would be lost without me. Now, let’s make a plan.”
“I don’t have time for a plan. If she’s not here, I need to move on. Fast. They could already be on their way to God knows where. Or maybe he already…” He couldn’t even finish the sentence.
He’d seen too much violence and death and wanted more than anything to leave that part of his life behind for good. And he believed he had.
“Don’t worry, we’ll find her, one way or another.” Riggs clapped a hand on Colton’s back.
Beau returned a few minutes later, his face drained of color.
“The car I saw leaving is parked behind a thicket near a house that’s still under construction. We stopped a few days ago, waiting on a permit. Damn it all to hell, we got a squatter.”
“And that’s the least of your problems,” Riggs said.
Within minutes, with Colton’s help, Riggs had devised a plan worthy of a military operation. He organized the men. They would surround the house, and as soon as it was determined Jennifer was inside and under duress, they would get her out. But of course, it might not be that easy. It was as close to a hostage situation as any he’d been involved in. Jennifer was the hostage and if Dan wanted to walk away from this, he’d try to take her with him. Colton would die before he let that happen.
Stealthily, all five men approached the house on foot. Jackson and Levi went toward the back. Beau and Riggs took the front. Colton approached the side windows, keeping his body low to the ground, footsteps quiet, avoiding rocks and scattered twigs. Sheetrock and beams were stacked against the side of the house. Windows were installed but without trim. Ducking, he approached a window and glanced inside.
His heart slammed against his ribcage at the sight of her on the floor, hands and ankles bound with duct tape. She looked up as if she’d heard him or seen a shadow and met his eyes. They widened and she shook her head as if trying to discourage him from coming inside. She mouthed, “Don’t.”
Yeah, he got it. Colton was going to assume Dan was armed and dangerous. This wasn’t a game they were playing, and he’d find out soon enough Colton had been here before. He put a finger to his lips to indicate she should be quiet and ignore him.
Colton watched from behind the bush as Dan walked in the room and knelt in front of Jennifer. He placed a blond wig on her head and made animated gestures. Jennifer, smart girl, didn’t argue with him. He removed the duct tape from her hands and allowed her to adjust the wig.
Colton realized two things: this man foolishly thought he could take Jennifer out of the country under an assumed identity; and secondly, Coltonwasn’tgoing to kill him. This last realization hit him like a fist because it was so unexpected.
He’d killed enough people and he was done.
But Colton would find a way to get Dan away from Jennifer, get him into custody, where hopefully he would get the mental help he desperately needed.
His instincts had always been to act first and ask questions later. But he had to admit to himself, he’d changed. The soldier was no more. When he’d arrived, he’d still seen himself as a soldier more than a cowboy. But now, surrounded by his friends, and the lake where so many of them had spent time as children, he understood a few things. Some people needed the same kind of help he’d had. Some people were fighting their own wars daily with mental health. With their own personal demons. He’d met many of them, some of his closest friends.
Jennifer had a brother that had struggled.
There was a fine line between getting someone the help they needed and preventing them from hurting someone or even themselves. A line Colton was about to cross.
He now understood why Jennifer had been compassionate with Dan. How she hadn’t shut him down until it was too late. She’d been far too kind because she had a big heart. A heart she’d shown him and a heart he wanted to emulate every day of his life. He could do this. He could help Jennifer without seriously hurting anyone else. Cooler heads would prevail today.
Colton slowly walked back to Riggs and handed him his gun. “Here. I’m going in to go get her.”
“What?” Riggs took the gun but grabbed Colton by the shoulders when he turned. “You can’t go in there. What if he’s armed?”
“I think he may well be armed, but that still doesn’t change my plan.”
Beau joined them. “No, Colt. Would you bring a knife to a gun battle? Think about it.”
“Look, I’m not worried. I have y’all here to help me if things go really crazy. You’re my backup. But, and hear me out, I…think I want to talk to him first.” At the unhinged and gaping jaws, Colton continued to talk. “You said it, Beau. We can’t have a gun battle here. There are families and children.”
“Well, we could wait for the sheriff to get here. He’s a few miles out.” Beau pointed in the direction of Kerrville.
“Look, I’ve been where this man is. I’ve felt desperate and confused, angry and hostile. I had nightmares that wouldn’t stop tormenting me and images I couldn’t unsee.”
“You were in a war. That’s different,” Riggs said.
“But we don’t know what he’s dealt with. People who struggle with mental health are in a war, too.” He took a breath. “Daily.”
“You’re being too generous and that scares me.”
