Page 9 of Ava
“Only that Morgan is recruiting a team of women that she needs.”
“For?”
“For something that she’s keeping us in the dark about.” Hank held up his hand to ward off any questions. “I’m totally okay with that. It’s happening in her neck of the woods, and I’ve done my own research on Morgan. I trust her one hundred percent to know what she’s doing, and to reach out if she needs help. I want you to take my card, and if you need any help for anything, then I want you to contact me. Like I said, I have no clue what she’s investigating, but I’m sure it’s big.” Again he held up his hand to ward off any question. “Just a gut thing.” He nodded, then stood and walked away.
“Wow.”
“Yeah, man of few words, but we’ve learned to trust his gut.” Angel nodded as they watched the other man walk away. They spent the rest of the afternoon enjoying the BBQ, and by the time everyone left in the early evening, Ava was ready to crash for the night. It didn’t take long for Angel to set her up in a spare room with access to a bathroom. An hour later she was settled in her bed, and was out like a light before her head even hit the pillow.
CHAPTER5
Morgan lookedup at the knock on her office door, and smiled when she saw her fiancé, Wyatt, standing there. She leaned back to stretch as she smiled at him. “What’s up? Not that I don’t mind seeing you in the middle of the day, but you’re just as busy as I am.”
“I am.” Wyatt smiled as he removed his cowboy hat, and ran his fingers through his hair. “I came to tell you that we have company.”
“Oh?” Morgan rose to her feet and walked around her desk. She paused long enough to kiss Wyatt, then stepped back. “How did you get here?” She indicated her office that was at least two miles down the road from their home. She had purchased a tract of land on the opposite side of the road from their home, the only tract that the Erwin ranch didn’t own. It was fifty acres, and perfect for her to put up her barracks on, and it was all hers. She wouldn’t allow her uncle to help her purchase it, nor the government when they tried to offer. She said if she was investigating doomsday preppers, they were bound to have some savvy computer people amongst them, and she didn’t want the title of her land to be locked up in some dummy companies. No, if they wanted to come after her, then let them. She’d be prepared.
“I rode the horse, and I had Wilson saddle one for you. Thought you might want to get a short ride in.”
“I’d love to.” She nodded as she cleared her desk, and followed Wyatt out, locking the office behind her. They had built her office right after she’d discussed opening another branch of Boswell Group while they waited for the plans for the barracks she’d planned to do whatever she could to start getting recruits. She had her first person lined up to arrive later in the month. She hoped the new person she’d hired would be able to help out with setting up the office. As the new person arrived, there were five more people her uncle was running background checks on as they waited. Morgan’s reasoning was the faster she got them in on the ground floor, the better equipped everyone would be when it came time to go out and gather information from the locals, to see what was really happening that her contact in Washington was starting to make noise about. She and Wyatt went out and mounted the horses, and instead of crossing the highway there, they went through the field, and crossed the road adjacent from the driveway leading up to the main house. Morgan took her time walking the horse, it was a great time to spend with Wyatt before their busy lives were interrupted again, his with running the ranch, hers with starting a new business. They walked the horses up the driveway, and as they rounded the last bend, Morgan brought the horse up short, and had to do some fancy maneuvering in order to prevent her from rearing up. She looked at Wyatt with wide eyes.
“What the hell?”
“First, that was some fancy work there, I’m proud of you. I see you’re learning more and more all the time about how to handle the horse. Second, I have no clue. Dillon called me from town and said people were coming our way. I came to get you first.”
“Oh.” Morgan looked at their front yard and shook her head. She heard something coming from behind her, and she and Wyatt had to move the horses to the side as a gigantic RV pulled in behind them. When she saw who was behind the wheel, she laughed. She watched as the driver’s door to seven pickup trucks opened, and each of her brothers, along with her father exited. They stretched, looked around, and Chad Stuart, Morgan’s dad, began pointing to where to park the RV her Uncle Chip was driving. Three of the trucks had a fifth-wheel camper attached, while the other four had pull-behind enclosed trailers.
Both Morgan and Wyatt stayed on their horses, and watched as Dillon and Dolly came out of the house, and Wilson, along with other ranch hands came out of the barn. Once they were all there, she dismounted and passed the reins over to the farm hand. Wyatt did the same thing, but told him not to unsaddle his own horse, because he had to get back to work.
“What are you guys doing here?” Morgan stood to her full height of a little over five foot, and shook her head at her brothers.
Justin, the oldest of all seven of them, and the oldest of the first set of triplets stepped forward, engulfed her in a hug, then waited until everyone else did the same. Once the introductions and welcomes were complete, he talked. “After John, Josh, and I talked with you and Uncle Chip, we followed the instructions given us, and thought it was finally time to come, but we made several phone calls to Dillon here first, to get all our ducks in a row.” He nodded to the other man. When Morgan glared at him, he only grinned and shrugged at her.
“We decided that we wanted to come here and help you with whatever you’re building. Dillon even sent me the original blueprints that were rejected by the town. I’ve reworked some things, and we have an appointment with the town planning committee at ten Monday morning.” He grinned at her, then took a step back at her glare. When she crossed her arms over her stomach, he took another step back.
That was when Chad stepped in. “Your mother and I are here because we helped haul a camper for them. The boys will be staying in the campers while they’re here.”
“And the RV?” Wyatt asked.
“That’s for the four of us to stay in while we’re here. It’ll only be for a week.”
“And you guys?” Morgan looked at her younger brothers, another set of triplets.
“We’re here with the J’s. We’re the construction crew that usually works with them. But…” Alfred, affectionately known as Alfie said. “I don’t know about the J’s, but after the building we’ll be putting up for you, I’d like to stay.”
“Me too,” the two younger men, Alan, and Alex said.
Alex looked Wyatt dead in the eye, as he continued, “I’d like to hire on as a ranch hand once the building for Morg is done.” He held up his hand to ward off any disagreement. “Wait until after, then we can discuss it. I know I’m green, but I’d really like to help out.”
Morgan could tell that he was nervous, and shook her head. She gave Wyatt a hip shot, then looked at her uncle. “And you?”
“I’ve come to discuss some business with you.”
Morgan only nodded and looked at her mother with a grin. “And did you and Aunt Peggy ride along for the hell of it?”
“Not exactly.” Dottie laughed. “I thought I’d help you plan the wedding while I’m here, or at least get you started on it.”
“How about looking over what I have already, then lead me in the right direction?”
