Songbird (12 page)

It was late when Greer drove through the back gate. He stopped to wait for Taggert to shut it and get back in the truck. A few seconds later, they pulled up to the house and got out, dusting themselves off as they headed to the back door.

As they mounted the steps, Rand opened the door and glanced uneasily at them. The hairs on Greer’s neck prickled and he stared sharply back at his foreman.

“Something wrong, Rand?”

Rand’s cheeks flushed a dull red. Man had always been quiet and almost painfully shy. But he was a good, hard worker and he’d never given them any reason to complain. They could definitely use more like him.

“It’s Miss Emily.” He stepped back to allow him and Taggert inside.

“What about her?” Taggert demanded.

Rand looked as though he’d rather eat dirt than have to say what was on his mind.

“Well, uh, she left.”

Greer reared back. “What?”

Rand was openly nervous now. He was sweating bullets, and he twisted his hands together.

“She went down to Sean’s grave. She does that a lot. When she came back, she went upstairs then came down with her bag. Asked me to take her to town. I didn’t want to,” he added in a rush. “But when I suggested she wait for you to get back, she said she’d walk if she had to. I didn’t think you and Taggert would want her going alone so I drove her.”

Greer’s hands were shaking. He couldn’t even get his thoughts together. Gone? What the hell?

“Did I screw up?” Rand asked as he rubbed his palms on his jeans.

“No, Rand, you did right,” Taggert said in a tight voice. “But we need more information. Anything she said. Don’t leave a word out. We need to know where you took her.”

Greer dragged a hand through his hair and leaned back against the wall. “Why did she leave?”

Rand colored again and shoved his hands into his pockets. “She didn’t say. I mean she didn’t talk to me. She was upset. I could tell she’d been crying. Maybe the visit to Sean’s grave put her over the edge? I took her to the motel. She wouldn’t listen to reason. I tried all the way into town, but she wouldn’t even look at me.”

Taggert let out a curse that made Rand flinch. Then he turned to Greer. “Let’s go.” At the door he glanced back at Rand. “How long ago did you take her into town?”

Rand shrugged. “Couple of hours.”

“And you only just now saw fit to tell us?” Greer asked incredulously.

“I didn’t want to disturb the work on the fence. Already lost enough cattle.”

Trust Rand to be focused on work. Of course he wouldn’t understand the seriousness of Emily taking off in a fragile emotional state.

Greer followed Taggert to the truck and the two tore down the drive. Taggert’s hands gripped the wheel, and his face was locked in stone.

As they neared town, Taggert finally turned to Greer. “What the fuck, Greer? When we left this morning, Emmy was fine. She seemed happy. What could possibly have happened? She’s visited Sean’s grave several times since she’s been back but she’s never taken off on us.”

“I don’t know,” Greer said in frustration. “Let’s hope she’s at the motel.”

***

An hour later, a cold sweat gripped Taggert’s entire body. Panic hovered, and it took everything he had not to give in to it. No one had seen Emily. Or Rand, for that matter. But if Rand had dropped her at the motel on the edge of town, he wouldn’t have gained a lot of notice. And if Emmy didn’t want attention drawn to herself, all she had to do was go the opposite way. But how?

He met Greer back at the truck, helpless rage snaking through his veins.

“What the hell do we do? No one’s seen her. She’s not in Creed’s Pass.”

Greer’s face hardened, but Taggert could see the worry in his eyes.

“Maybe she got a ride into Hodges. Hell, Tagg, I don’t know. I don’t understand any of this. It’s late and I don’t know what we should do. One of us should go back to the ranch in case she comes back. We don’t know if she planned to leave permanently or if she just got upset.”

“Buck and Rand can wait up,” Taggert said. “You and I can keep looking for her. They’ll call if she shows up at the ranch.”

“Tell them to sit on her if she shows,” Greer said in a low growl.

“Let’s go find our girl,” Taggert said.

Dawn had long since come, bringing with it the grim realization that Emily was gone. Not just gone but vanished. For hours, Taggert and Greer had searched every conceivable location. They’d questioned motel owners, cab drivers, they’d gone to the airport and every spot in between. She simply wasn’t anywhere they looked.

They both needed sleep, but they also knew that with each passing minute, Emily was further away. Hell, she could be across the entire country by now.

“Maybe the best thing to do is go home and wait,” Taggert muttered. He was dead on his feet after a long day repairing a fence line and then all night spent searching for Emily.

Greer didn’t look any better. He wore a haunted look that Taggert hadn’t seen since the night they’d been called with the news of Sean’s death.

Greer raised a hand then let it fall to his side, his shoulders sagging.

“She left us.”

Taggert flinched at the betrayal in Greer’s voice. It was a feeling he’d tried damn hard not to experience himself, but how could he not? One minute Emily was pledging her love, her commitment to them, the next she had hotfooted it to parts unknown. The big question was why?

“It doesn’t make sense,” Taggert said wearily.

He climbed into the truck and turned home. They were several hours from the ranch. It would be afternoon before they got there. He was hungry, he needed a shower and he needed sleep. Mostly he needed Emily. In his arms. Back home where she belonged.

“Nothing makes any goddamn sense,” Greer muttered as he slouched in the seat.

The two didn’t talk on the drive home. They didn’t even look at each other. They stared out the window at the passing scenery, and Taggert focused relentlessly on the road.

Why had she left?

The question haunted Taggert. He couldn’t have been that wrong about Emmy. Not their Emmy.

By the time he pulled up to the house, dusk had bathed the world in shadows and pale shades of lavender. Without a word, they got out and trudged inside where they were met by Buck and Rand.

“No luck finding the girl?” Buck asked.

Greer shook his head and continued on past the two men.

“Get some rest. Both of you. We’ll look again in the morning. I’ll sit by the phone. If she calls, I’ll wake you up,” Buck said.

Taggert raised his hand in acknowledgement and went up the stairs to his bedroom. His bed was still unmade, the covers twisted and shoved to the side. The fitted sheet had popped off and was dragged halfway across the bed. What the hell?

Had Emily woken up in the midst of a nightmare? Had she been driven from bed by past demons, visited Sean’s grave and taken off on impulse?

He stood by the bed, staring down at where he and Greer had made love to her just two nights ago. Where was she now?

Not bothering to undress, he fell over the bed, eyes closing as soon as his head hit the pillow. He could smell her. He inhaled deeply and curled his fingers into the sheets.

A few hours was all he needed. Then he’d find Emmy. He had to.

***

Taggert woke with a start, unsure of what had disturbed him. Christ, it was light again already. How long had he slept? He rolled, wincing at the soreness in his muscles.

A beam of reflected sunlight flashed across his window, and he frowned. The sound of a vehicle reached his ears.

His pulse picked up a notch and he hurried to the window, lifting the slats of the blinds with one finger. His frown deepened when he saw Rand’s truck driving slowly down the driveway.

An uneasy feeling slithered through his veins. Why did it bother him?

Rand was the last to see Emily. Rand was the one who had taken her from the ranch. Into town. Where no one had seen her. Where the hell was he going right now? Could be nothing. But his gut was screaming.

Responding to his gut, he raced down the stairs, not bothering to get Greer. He didn’t have time if he wasn’t going to lose Rand.

He bounded off the front steps and threw himself into the truck, his fingers fumbling with the ignition before he ever got the door closed.

He peeled out of the yard and hit the dirt drive with a cloud of dust billowing behind him. He forced himself to slow. Last thing he wanted was to get too close to Rand and spook him. And if Rand was doing a legitimate errand, he’d apologize later for the ugly suspicions that had suddenly taken root.

Everything about Rand’s earlier demeanor took on new light. When he’d faced them with the news that Emily had left. Maybe he hadn’t been reluctant and worried about their reaction to her being gone. Maybe he was nervous because he was the cause of Emily’s disappearance.

Nausea rose in his throat, and he forced himself not to succumb to the dark thoughts tormenting him.

He caught sight of Rand up ahead and immediately slowed to allow Rand to take the corner. When he rounded the curve, he saw Rand pull out on the main road and head away from town.

“Bastard,” Taggert whispered.

If Rand was responsible for any harm or fright to Emily, Taggert would kill him.

He kept good distance between them though it made him frantic to think of Rand getting to Emily so far ahead of him, but he couldn’t let Rand know he was on to him.

And what if he’s doing something perfectly innocent?

Then Taggert would be wrong, and hopefully Emily was safe wherever she was, but he wasn’t taking any chances.

For half an hour he followed Rand until he saw him turn off the road. Taggert immediately slowed and waited. What the hell was Rand doing out here? It was the middle of nowhere. Only rocks, hills and…caves.

Oh shit. No. No, no, no.

Taggert hit the gas and careened up the road to the spot where Rand had pulled off. He bumped over the rough terrain, his head hitting the ceiling. His hands slipped off the wheel but he grabbed on again and raced over the barely discernible trail.

When he caught sight of Rand’s truck he no longer worried about discovery. He roared up and slammed on the brakes beside the other vehicle.

Goddamn it, Rand was already gone from sight. No matter, he’d been up here plenty of times as a boy. There was only one real possibility as far as a cave. Or at least it was the only one he knew about, and he prayed Rand didn’t know of any others.

He hurried around rocks, up the hill to where the boulders became larger and hid the entrance to the small cave. It couldn’t really be called a cave. It was more of an enclosure. An area dug out of the side of the hill with no path further into the earth.

As he neared the carved out entrance between two rock outcroppings, he slowed, listening for Rand, for Emily, for any hint of activity.

Carefully he edged closer, his hand sliding along the rough surface. Still, he didn’t hear anything. With a decisive lunge, he burst into the opening, prepared to fight Rand. But he didn’t see the man anywhere.

It was dark, but not so dark he couldn’t see the figure lying on the ground. Still. So very still. Emily.

Forgetting Rand, forgetting everything but the agony burning through his mind like a blowtorch, he dropped to his knees beside her.

“Emily. Emily!”

He started to tear at the ropes tying her hands, then stopped and pressed his fingers into the side of her neck. Then she moved. A slight turn, but he felt it and relief crashed through him like a tidal wave.

“Emmy, oh my God, my sweet Emmy.”

His voice was nearly destroyed.
He
was nearly destroyed. In the dim light, he barely made out the tape covering her mouth. With trembling fingers he pulled at it, wincing when it didn’t come immediately free.

With a murmured apology, he yanked, pulling it away in one clean motion. She immediately shoved the rag out with her tongue and coughed hoarsely.

“Taggert.”

It barely came out in a whisper, but he’d never heard a sweeter sound.

“Shhh, baby. Let me untie you so I can get you the hell out of here.”

“I didn’t think you’d find me.”

She sounded weak and tearful, and her fear tore at him, ripping what little control he had away from him.

He went nuts trying to get her hands and feet free, and as soon as he succeeded, he yanked her into his arms, rocking her back and forth as he absorbed the feel of her heartbeat.

“Rand is here. He’s close. I need to get you out of here, baby.”

She shuddered and went still against him.

“He’s crazy, Taggert. Not clinically crazy. The bastard knew exactly what he was doing. He killed Sean.”

She grabbed hold of his shirt with both fists, and her entire body trembled with rage.

Taggert’s brain exploded with the impact of her statement.

“What?”

“Later,” she said hoarsely. “Please. Let’s just go. He’s so determined to save you from me. There’s no telling what he’ll do if he finds you here.”

Taggert couldn’t even wrap his brain around all she was saying, but one thing registered. The need to protect her. To get her home.

He hastily got up and pulled her to a standing position beside him. She stumbled and let out a cry of pain.

“My feet,” she gasped. “Hurts!”

Taggert swore. He couldn’t afford to tie up his hands by carrying her out. Not when Rand could show up at any time.

“Hold on to me,” he said gently. “You’ll get the feeling back as soon as the blood starts circulating good again. Just hold on to me and we’ll take it nice and slow to the truck.”

She clutched at his arm, and he started forward, careful not to rush too much, but damn it, they needed to move.

She hobbled along, making little breathy sounds of pain that seared his soul. But she didn’t stop, and she didn’t complain.

Her hand went up to cover her eyes as soon as they stepped into the sunshine. She turned away, and he could see how pale she was and the deep shadows under her eyes. God. She’d been here for almost two days. Two fucking days while he and Greer had been chasing all over the damn state. He was going to kill Rand with his bare hands.

He killed Sean
.

Emily’s words sawed like a dagger. Was it possible?

“I knew you couldn’t stay away.”

Rand stepped from behind a rock. His eyes were wild, his clothes dirty and rumpled. And he held a gun pointed directly at Emily. “I saw you following me. Why couldn’t you just leave her alone?”

Taggert shoved Emily behind him. She nearly went down, but he held tight to her arm.

“What the fuck is this?” Taggert asked furiously. “You lied to us, you son of a bitch. You kept her in a goddamn cave for two days. You
know
she hates the dark. Why?”

His fingers flexed and curled. He’d never wanted to hurt another human being as bad as he wanted to tear Rand apart right now.

Rand eyed him warily but he kept the gun trained in his direction.

Emily closed her eyes and shifted her feet back and forth as she stood behind Taggert. Anything to try and regain sensation. She was useless in her current state.

“She should have never come back,” Rand bit out.

“You don’t get to decide that,” Taggert roared. “Did you kill my brother, Rand? Is Emily right? Did you kill Sean?”

Emily gripped Taggert’s arm tighter and tried to see around him, but he pushed her back again.

“It was supposed to be her,” Rand said in a bleak voice. “It was never supposed to be Sean. He stepped in front of her. It was too late for me to stop. I hated her for making me do that. Sean didn’t deserve to die. I wanted to save him from her.”

Every muscle in Taggert’s body stiffened. He bristled with rage. So much fury. She felt it like an inferno.

“Save him? Save us? Where do you get off interfering in our lives? Who gave you the right? You goddamn bastard, you killed my brother!”

“It wasn’t what I wanted. I never wanted to hurt him. Or you and Greer. But now you give me no choice. If you’d just stayed at the ranch, I would have disposed of Emily, and you could have gone on with your lives. It’s unnatural what you and Greer are doing with her.”

She heard the click of the safety, and she felt Taggert’s swift intake of breath.

No.

Not again. Never again.

It was supposed to be her last time. She wouldn’t allow another man she loved to die because of her.

“Forgive me, Taggert,” Rand whispered.

She pushed at Taggert and caught sight of Rand raising the pistol. God, he was really going to do it. He was going to shoot Taggert down in broad daylight.

Rand’s hand trembled, but his gaze never wavered. She saw his finger tighten on the trigger.

“No!”

She hooked her foot between Taggert’s legs and shoved with all her might. He stumbled away, and she turned to face Rand, placing herself between him and Taggert.

“Emmy, no!” Taggert cried.

Anger flared in Rand’s eyes, and then he simply pulled the trigger.

Pain exploded over Emily. She went flying backwards, her body hitting the ground with enough force to jar her teeth loose. She lay gasping for air but couldn’t draw any into her lungs.