was reminiscent of an old Western movie set—not exactly the setting Rose had envisioned for her nuptials.
So they were on their way to Cheyenne for the ceremony. But Thad had pulled off the highway and driven to a cabin off the beaten path, saying they’d have a romantic night before the wedding.
She opened her eyes and glanced at the vintage ivory dress she’d bought for the special occasion tomorrow, her heart fluttering with excitement. The string of pearls Thad had given her lay in the velvet box beside the pearl comb she’d bought for her hair.
She held her hand up and splayed her fingers, admiring the way her French-cut halo diamond sparkled in the candlelight.
Tomorrow she would become Mrs. Thad Thoreau.
Not only would she have a husband to hold her and love her every night, but one day they’d also have a family.
A pang of regret nagged at her for not calling her parents and telling them about her engagement. But they hadn’t gotten along since she was a teenager. For some odd reason, ever since she was little, she’d sensed she didn’t belong with them. That they were a wrong fit. That she was a problem they didn’t know how to get rid of.
And then there had been the awkward conversations she’d overheard, the whispered comments, the looks...
The secrets.
They’d wanted to send her away. She’d heard them plotting that one night.
So as soon as she’d turned eighteen, she’d packed and left. Her parents hadn’t stopped her. In fact, they’d said it was probably for the best.
Who thought it was best not to talk to your own child?
When she had a baby, she’d make sure her little one knew he or she was loved, that she’d do anything for her child.
The water turned chilly, and she climbed out and dried off, then pulled on her robe. Footsteps sounded from the master bedroom, and she eased open the door.
Thad’s voice echoed from where he stood by the window, and she realized he was on the phone.
“Yes, she’s the one. I’m positive.”
Her heart swelled with gratitude to have found Thad. For so long she’d built walls and kept herself from loving anyone, too afraid to get hurt. But then Thad had walked into her antiques store, Vintage Treasures, and stolen her heart.
Just last week he’d shown her a photograph of the estate he owned in Cheyenne. They were headed there the day after their wedding. Apparently he had inherited family money, which he’d invested, and he’d accumulated his own fortune.
Not that she cared about the money. She wanted companionship, love, a real family...
She started to slip into the room, to inch up behind him and surprise him with a kiss, but he lifted a flyer of a picture of a little girl on a milk carton, a child of about five years old.
“Yes, I’m certain it’s her,” Thad said. “The woman I’m with is the little girl on the milk carton.”
Rose frowned. What was he talking about? How could she be the child? Those ads were placed for missing children...
Thad walked over to the side table, opened his briefcase and removed a pistol. Rose tensed, her heart tripping into double time. Why did he have a gun?
“Don’t worry,” Thad said, his voice low, as he loaded the weapon. “Your problems will soon be over. She’ll be dead by morning.”
* * *
MADDOX MUTTERED A CURSE as his brother’s voice mail clicked on. The first time he’d called, he’d gotten Brett’s publicist, but he refused to go through a third party with such a personal matter, so he’d dialed the number again.
Did Brett even answer his own calls?
“Brett, it’s me, Maddox. I know we haven’t talked in a while—” two years to be exact, but he bit back a snide comment “—but it’s important. Dad is sick, really sick... He’s dying, Brett, and he needs to see you. Call me.”
Maddox paced to the fireplace, his gaze drawn to the photograph of him and his brothers when they were young. He was about ten, Brett eight, Ray six. Close in age, they’d wrestled and fought and raced on horseback as kids.
But they’d grown apart after their mother’s death and were as different as night and day.
What the hell would he say to them if they did return?
Upstairs, the house seemed quiet and he hoped his father was resting. But his request nagged at Maddox. He didn’t especially want his brothers here. He and his father got along great.
He had no idea how he’d live without him.
But...he had to honor his dying request, so he searched for Ray’s number. It took him a half dozen calls through various sources he’d had over the past years to track down his youngest brother’s current location.
While he punched in Ray’s number, he strode to the bar in the den and poured himself a whiskey. Brett had been irresponsible and wild, but he hadn’t possessed Ray’s anger and temper.
The phone rang and rang. No answer. Dammit.
He left Ray a voice mail, then carried his drink outside to the front porch. The night air filled his lungs, the heat nearly oppressive as he sank onto the porch swing and looked out at the McCullen land. Acres and acres of farm and ranch land that bordered on the mountains and held elk, deer, antelope and other wildlife.
He loved Horseshoe Creek and would keep it up when his father was gone.
But what would he do if Brett or Ray actually wanted to stay and help run it?
* * *
COLD FEAR WASHED over Rose. Had she misunderstood Thad?
Had he really said she’d be dead by morning?
“Trust me, no one will find her body.”
Rose struggled against the urge to scream. Why would Thad or the person on the other end of the line want her dead?
Was that the reason he’d insisted on them eloping? So he could dump her body in the miles and miles of wilderness around Pistol Whip?
Terror seized her, and she stumbled backward. She caught herself by grabbing the counter, but her hand hit the hair dryer and knocked it to the floor. Suddenly footsteps clattered, and Thad stood in the doorway with the gun in his hand.
The cold look of a seasoned killer greeted her. “Eavesdropping, Rose?”
She shook her head in denial, then glanced around for a weapon, but the bathroom held nothing. Except for her hairspray.
Desperate, she reached for it, but Thad pounced toward her. She jerked up the can and sprayed it at his face. Thad cursed and rubbed at his eyes, then tried to grab her. “You won’t get away, Rose.”
Taking
