Wilder Ranch

Cap had stopped. At a flat run, I ripped open the door

“What?? No, your fat

death situation? Why

and Skylar, stood. “Go slow Ace. There’s a situatio

ou talking

’ll

Mom stood by the door. “That will be Craig and

standing in front of a stall. They moved aside an

ng something too quiet to understand. It was obvious she was a woman because the little bit of clothes she had on hardly hid anything. I couldn’t

l did she ge

.” Skylar said. I looked at her and raised an

ead. “Can’t

ling it earlier wh

d to find a safe place to lay my han

hand on her left foot and got an instant reaction. She screamed and started kicking and waving her righ

ew that phrase. I knew who this woman was

w this youn

ere she waited fo

ew mission, he’d tell me to ‘cowboy up’. He stopped by the hospital after Dad’s heart attack. He told me he thought his sist

ee, Jaclyn NO! Jaelyn, that was her n

she get

s living just an hour east of Missoula.

truck stop just outside of Skyview for supper. She m

n, then at Gerri. “Holy hell! Better get the gurney. She’ll

e. “This girl’

u think, Craig? If you’re transporting her, then I’

p, she became my responsibility. Nothing these first

ust have seen my resolve, because he just

y head. “Not sure. I think I do, can’t tell by l

first, then once she’s out, Gerri and I will strap

’t know, but they better hop

give me purpose. I didn’t even have to hunt for one. This was a mission that had been dropped at my feet, literally. Finding out if I was right about her came fi

ey got an IV in her and injected the morphine. Then they strapped on a n

me to get out. I wasn’t family. However, a slight shake of the head from Craig and the look

help. At present, all I could do was ensure she wasn’t alone and that her safety wasn’t compromised. Nothing would stop me or stand

eet you there. You might want her to do the medical stuff to keep the town rumor mill out of it. I also call

mom who was standing beside Skylar. “Mom, can you let D

e look I’d grown up seeing. The one that said sh

r business, Ace. We’l

ale of undetermined age and started listing her injuries. When she said severe vaginal and anal tearing and bruising, I saw red. Not only had s

ghts and sirens blaring. Gerri looked at me, concern on her face. I

don’t know, Ace. It’s a miracle she’s alive a

t talk about what they did to me and the handful of people held captive, anyway. Not th

hat a person can endu

ods yet. It’ll be up to the doctor to figure how bad she is internally. But her pulse is weak and thread

covery, the one that still wasn’t finished almost two years later. It

*

el

one giant hurt. I struggled to open my eyes. The lids felt heavy

till in the cellar? Had Edward strapped me down? If

uck stop, hid in the back of a horse trailer. Then into a barn. Was it all a dre

I forced my eyes to open. Even that hurt. I moaned in pain and a deep, warm voice spoke. “You’re awake, I see

seen sat there. He looked like someone had taken my three favorite movie stars and combined them

nd a flannel shirt with the sleeves rolled up, a beat-up brown Stetson in his hands. The

Wilder, Jaelyn, and I hear

eam. I had gotten away. But to have Ace h

could say that, since it

old on, let me get your nurse to give you some pa

here. If Edward find

on the side of my be

r body needs time to heal some. Don’t worry about anyone finding you. You aren’t registered unde

I rest

he doctor was afraid you’

w b

ntered the room. “Oh good, you’re

thing

pain medicine and let Docto

ert the doctor. I didn’t let that derail my t

times he’s beaten you. Why are you just now coming to me for help Jaelyn? Your brother told you to get

He told everyone that I was severely depressed and psychotic. Telling them I was okay when I took my medicine but would try to hurt myself when I didn’t. He slowly convinced everyone that I wa

I thought he might help me, but the other deputies showed him a f

o one would even wonder where I went. He’d tell them I was in a mental facility and they’d believe him. After all, he’s the son of Congressman Paul