“Yep!” Luke nodded, looking grimly resolute. “According to the call I just received, a federal SWAT team is dismantling the smuggling operation at Aspen Ranch as we speak. It’s over, folks.”
It didn’t feel over to Owen. He couldn’t say why. It was just a feeling. He coughed and took another swig of water, knowing Halle was going to be floored when she heard the extent of what her ex and his family had been involved in. Financial fraud charges were the least of James’ worries right now. He and his family were about to be indicted for the murder of Halle’s parents, illegal arms trading, assault with deadly weapons, possibly even treason.
He moved toward the house. “I need to check on my wife and kids.” It felt wonderful calling Halle his wife.
He’d only taken a few steps before a boyish shriek of excitement stopped him.
“Dad!” Ryder and Cooper shot across the side yard in his direction. They were drenched and filthy. Rivulets of water dribbled from their hair and ran down their cheeks.
He squatted down so they could fling their muddy little selves into his arms. Cooper babbled somewhat incoherently about how glad he was that the monster chickens hadn’t gobbled up his dad. In one hand he clutched a lightsaber.
“You and me both, buddy!” Owen squinted over the boys’ shoulders for any sign of Halle.
Jen rounded the corner of the house, looking evenfilthier than the twins. The sage-green pantsuit she’d worn to the wedding was sodden and caked with mud.
“I found them at the fish pond,” she panted.
“What?” Alarm stabbed Owen’s chest. “I thought they were in the house with Halle.”
Jen shook her head tearfully. “From what I’ve been able to piece together, the boys donned their superhero capes and gear while she was on the front porch fighting the monster chickens. Their words. Not mine. Then they took off for the pond. They were hoping to use the pond water to help put out the fire.”
Owen shuddered and hugged the mud-soaked would-be heroes tighter. He tried not to think about how deep the pond was and how many ways his sons’ adventure could’ve ended badly. They were decent swimmers, but he’d never let them anywhere near the pond without proper supervision and life jackets. Their safe return was yet another thing he’d be thanking the good Lord for.
He stood, hauling the boys up into his arms instead of letting them go. “Let’s go find your mom.” He was never going to get tired of calling her that. Referring to her as the mother of his children sounded so much better than calling her their nanny or schoolteacher.
“I hope the monster chickens didn’t eat her,” Ryder blubbered into his dad’s shoulder as he carried them up the porch steps.
“Nah, she’s too strong to be outmaneuvered by those dumb robot chickens.” By calling the robots names and downplaying their role, he hoped to reduce the fear factor for his sons. Besides, he was pretty sure none of the robot critters had gotten inside the house.
A few minutes later, he was forced to revise his opinion. Though there was no evidence the robotic chickenshad made it inside the house, something else had. Or someone.
There was evidence of a struggle—a hole in the drywall in the hallway and a crack in the back door window. It was a struggle his new bride must have lost.
“Halle?” He called her name, not really expecting a response, and none came. “Halle?” He called her name again with the same result.
Ryder’s blubbering picked up steam. “The m-monster chickens ate our mooooom!”
Unable to think of anything comforting to say, Owen set the twins on their feet and pushed them gently toward their aunt. His heart was heavy with dread as he met Jen’s gaze. “I’ll go get the sheriff.”
Tears streaked down her face as her hands curled around the boy’s shoulders. “It’s bath time, my loves.” She wept in silence as she moved with them up the stairs.
Owen stomped back outside.
Rock took one look at Owen’s face and rose from the porch swing. “What’s going on?”
“She’s gone!”
The sheriff must have overhead them, because he sprinted their way, taking the porch steps two at a time. “Who’s gone?”
“My wife! She’s missing!” Owen led the two men inside to show them the evidence of the struggle that had taken place there.
There were no security cameras in the house, only motion detectors that Owen rarely armed before the members of his household retired for the night. One of the outdoor cameras, however, had captured a recording of a masked man carrying an unconscious Halle from the house. He’d loaded her into the backseat of a silver SUV. Unfortunately,none of them could recall seeing the SUV drive away. They’d been too busy fighting the fire.
Looking dejected, the sheriff contacted the Feds about the latest development. They sent over two field agents to review the camera footage and perform a forensic sweep of the crime scene. They collected various samples, dusted for fingerprints, and took countless photographs.
They chatted with the sheriff while they worked, confirming that Brooke and Blaire Aspen, several of Brooke’s ranch hands, and Dr. Gavin House had been apprehended. Not James House. At the moment, no one knew where he was.
Owen could easily speculate why the guy was missing. “Wherever he is, he has my wife,” he growled.
