Page 96 of Single Mom's Mountain Men
Suddenly, Mitch froze. His expression turns even more furious.
"Banker," he growls.
"You think it was him?" Wes asks.
"It has to be. He has a bunch of weapons and bad men on his payroll who occasionally harass people who don't want to sell to him. He has to be getting it from somewhere. Plus he looked at Patty like he half recognized her. Maybe he's seen her before or maybe Keegan mentioned her."
I instantly picture that afternoon, how that man looked at me with narrowed eyes. I swallow. He looks exactly like the type Keegan would do business with.
"It's possible," Wes says.
"What's more possible is that Banker might be hosting him, especially if the FBI has confiscated Keegan's weapons and houses. Banker has a bunch of warehouses between here and Colorado. We should check those."
Just then, Charlie finally returns with his laptop which he places on the table. As Wes takes my hand, squeezing it for comfort, Charlie announces, " Start with Medla. That's where he is now."
I glance at them. "How do you know?"
"Because it's where the girls are. According to the tracking devices I planted on them."
We all pause and look at Charlie in shock.
"You have tracking devices on my girls?" I ask him, stunned.
"Of course," Charlie says. "Wes told me about your abusive ex." When I glance at Wes, he shrugs unapologetically. "I thought he might come for you at some point and the thought of it gave me nightmares. I couldn’t sleep. So I had a buddy send me some tracking devices. Put some in the wooden keychains we carved for each of the girls. Also in acouple of their clothes. I put one in your car too, and in that necklace I got you."
"Way to go, Charlie," Wes breathes and as Charlie continues, "Mitch, I also had Lloyd looking into your Keegan. Except we didn't have the proper last name and didn't know he was a criminal so it was difficult to find anything. In any case, he owns a security team and he's told me they're ready to help. So I would just fill them in on what they need to know."
Mitch nods and instantly continues typing.
Relief floods through me so heavily that I want to burst into tears. And indeed that’s what I do.
"I’m sorry," I cry. "I should have told you guys everything from the beginning."
"You should have," Charlie says attempting a smile that doesn't quite make it through his tension. "But I get it. That asshole probably destroyed your trust in men and you couldn’t be sure yet that we wouldn't turn out like him or use that information against you."
"No, it's not just that. I also...I should have trusted you."
"It’s alright sweetheart," Mitch says softly. "We get it. But from now on, no more secrets. We insist that you tell us everything. Especially anything that could be a danger to you or our girls."
Our girls. He said it so easily like he didn't even realize he claimed responsibility for them too.
"I was afraid that if you knew you would be ashamed of me," I admit quietly. "Because my actions, staying with Keegan, put my girls in danger. Even after I found out what he did I still stayed and even had another baby with him. He convinced me that…No, I let myself be convinced that it would be okay."
"You were a young vulnerable woman who was barely anadult," Mitch says coming to me to caress my cheek. "He knew that and took advantage of it. Nothing that happened is your fault. And even if it was there’s nothing you can do to make us turn away from you or turn our backs on you. We love you, Patty. Believe that."
I press my lips together, guilty words still looking to spill forth. But ultimately, I nod.
Once he's done texting the names involved, Mitch calls Lloyd to lay out the plan of attack.
In that time, the text from Keegan arrives wanting to meet at a diner in Medla. But according to Charlie's GPS, that's not the location where my daughters are being held.
"They're in one of Banker's warehouses, about thirty minutes from there." Charlie says.
"Probably under guard," Mitch agrees.
They share a look that communicates something I don't understand and then I ask, "What?"
"Nothing," Charlie says.
