Stone Cold Surrender (5 page)

them
without
any
interference
from
their
children.
At
least
that
had
always
been
the
case
with
his
mother
and
father,
and
he
thought
they
were
the
greatest
parents
in
the
world.

“I’m
going
to
try
and
talk
some
sense
into
her,
of
course,”
Madison
said,
her
lips
tightening
in
determination.
“My

father
died
of
a
heart
attack
over
ten
years
ago,
and
my
mother
has
been
a
widow
since
that
time.
She
is
the
most
staid,
levelheaded
and
sensible
person
you
could
ever

meet.”

She
sighed
deeply
then
added,
“Taking
off
with
a
man
she
doesn’t
know,
whom
she
only
met
one
night
at
dinner,

doesn’t
make
sense
and
it’s
so
unlike
her.”

Stone’s
action-thriller
mind
went
to
work.
“And
you’re
positive
she
went
off
with
this
man
willingly?”

He
watched
a
clearly
frustrated
Madison
take
another
sip
of
her
coffee
before
answering.
“Yes,
there
were
witnesses,

including
the
ladies
who
accompanied
her
on
the
trip.
They
said
she
simply
packed
one
morning
and
announced
that
the
guy
was
coming
for
her
and
she
would
be
spending
the
rest
of
the
time
with
him
and
to
let
me
know
she
had

decided
to
extend
her
trip.
Of
course
I
couldn’t
believe
it

and
had
all
but
called
in
the
FBI
before
I
got
her
phone
call.
Unfortunately,
I
wasn’t
at
home
when
she
called
so
we

didn’t
talk,
but
her
message
clearly
said
that
she
was
all

right
and
was
extending
her
vacation
another
two
weeks

and
not
to
worry
about
her.
But
of
course
I’m
worried.”

Stone
thought
that
was
pretty
evident.
“Can
she
take

additional
time
off
from
her
job
like
that?”
he
asked,
curious
with
everything
Madison
was
telling
him.

“Yes.
My
mother
retired
as
a
hospital
administrator
last

year
and
owns
a
day-care
center
for
the
elderly.
She
has
an
excellent
staff.
Over
the
past
couple
of
months
she’s
been
spending
less
time
at
the
office
and
doing
a
lot
of
charity

work
in
the
community.
She’s
really
big
into
that.”

Stone
leaned
back
in
his
seat.
“Do
you
have
an
idea
where
you
plan
to
look?
Montana
is
a
huge
place.”

“I’ve
made
reservations
at
this
dude
ranch
outside
of

Bozeman
called
the
Silver
Arrow.
Have
you
ever
heard
of
it?”

Stone
smiled.
Yes,
he
had.
In
fact,
the
Silver
Arrow
Dude
Ranch
was
only
a
short
distance
from
Durango’s
place.
He
was
rather
pleased
that
he
and
Madison
would
be
in
close
proximity
to
each
other.
“I
know
exactly
where
it
is.
In
fact,
it’s
not
far
from
where
I’ll
be
staying.
The
two
of
us
will

practically
be
neighbors.”

She
smiled
like
the
thought
of
that
pleased
her.
Or
maybe
it
was
wishful
thinking
on
his
part,
Stone
thought
as
his
gaze
centered
on
her
lips.

“I’ve
made
plans
for
a
tour
guide
to
take
me
up
into
the
mountains
after
I’m
settled,”
she
said,
breaking
into
his
thoughts.

Stone
lifted
a
brow.
“Up
into
the
mountains?”

“Yes,
that’s
where
the
man
has
taken
my
mother.”

He
paused
in
the
act
of
taking
a
bite
of
his
muffin.
“This
man
took
your
mother
up
into
the
mountains?”
At
her
nod
he
then
asked,
“Why?”

“Because
that’s
where
he
lives.”

After
chewing
a
morsel
of
the
muffin,
Stone
inquired,
“The
guy
actually
lives
in
the
mountains?”
He
took
a
swallow
of
coffee,
thinking
he’d
always
thought
his
uncle
Corey
was

the
only
man
brave
enough
to
forgo
civilization
and
live
high
up
in
the
mountains.
While
he
worked
as
a
park
ranger,

Corey
Westmoreland
stayed
in
the
lowlands,
making
the

trip
into
the
mountains
on
his
days
off.

“Yes,
according
to
the
information
I
was
able
to
find,
he

lives
on
this
huge
mountain,”
Madison
said,
interrupting
his
thoughts.
“The
man
is
a
retired
park
ranger.
I
don’t
have
his
full
name
but
I
understand
he’s
well
known
in
those
parts

and
goes
by
Carl,
Cole,
Cord
or
something
like
that.”

A
portion
of
Stone’s
coffee
went
down
the
wrong
pipe
and
he
began
coughing
to
clear
his
throat.