By the time Libby had arrived at Cougar Cabin to say goodbye to the family, Vince and Max were already there. Another man was with them, the bearded man she had seen at the gas station. Caleb had put up a valiant fight against the men to protect his family, but he was battling three hardened criminals.
Libby had walked into their trap, and now all she could do was try to protect her friends. Her lips trembled. Vince was there because of her. Her looks had always attracted men, some good, some bad, but nothing like this. She was terrified of what was going to happen, but she couldn’t let the Dunbars down.
She heard Sam’s voice outside, met Jenny’s gaze for an instant, then rose from the sofa and hurried to the door. Vince drew his weapon and shoved it into her back. He cast her a warning glance as he opened the door.
“I’ve got your cell,” Sam called out to her.
“Set it on the porch and back away,” Vince commanded.
Sam complied. Vince kept the gun on Libby while he picked up the phone; then he hauled her back inside the cabin. Libby flashed Sam a last glance, hoping he could read the love in her eyes before Vince closed the door. The bearded man—Deke, Max had called him—lounged in a chair near the sofa as if he belonged there.
Max walked toward her, his lean, wiry body moving with purpose. He was smarter than Vince, but Vince was stronger. “Make the call,” Max demanded. “And don’t say anything more than necessary. Just tell them you need to leave early and arrange for the jet to pick you up as soon as possible.”
Libby swallowed and nodded. She phoned Bert Strieber on his personal cell. “Hi, Bert.” She hoped her voice didn’t tremble.
“Libby. It’s good to hear from you. How are things going at the ranch?”
She took a deep breath. She hated to lie, but there was nothing she could do. “Unfortunately, things aren’t going too well. I need to come home, Bert. I’m not going to be able to stay. I want you to send a jet to pick me up as soon as possible.”
“Are you sure, Libby? You know you’ll be giving up your inheritance.”
“I know. Please, Bert. Just do it. We can talk about it when I get back.”
Bert sighed. “If you’re sure it’s what you want, I’ll arrange for a charter to pick you up at the Eagle County jet terminal. I’ll call you back as soon as everything’s set.”
“Make it a priority, Bert.” She flicked a glance at Max, who looked harder than she remembered, with tight lines around his mouth and a dark edge in his eyes she hadn’t noticed before. “How long do you think it’ll be?” she asked.
“You’re close to Denver. Shouldn’t be more than a couple of hours. I’ll let you know.” Bert ended the call.
She knew he was disappointed in her. Libby wished she could tell him the truth, that she wasn’t ready to go back to New York. That the ranch was exactly where she wanted to be.
The thought struck her like a blow. Did she really want to stay? Did she want to give up her glamorous life in the city to live in the middle of nowhere with Sam?
And even if she did, would Sam want her to stay?
Whatever the answer, she didn’t have time to think about it now.
“The jet should be here in a couple of hours,” she said. “My attorney is going to call me back as soon as he has everything arranged.”
Vince walked over to where she stood near the window, slid an arm around her waist and pulled her close. “We’ve got a little time. Why don’t you and me go have a little fun?”
She tried to unwind his arm, but he was built like a bull and she couldn’t break his hold. “Get away from me, Vince.”
Jenny shot up from the sofa. “Leave her alone, Vince!”
“Mommy!” Suzy’s eyes welled with tears.
“Leave Libby alone,” Jordy said, standing up next to his mother, clearly Caleb Dunbar’s son. The tension in the room was thick.
The bearded man, Deke, spoke up. “Use your head, Nolan. You don’t have time for that now. You can have her when we get where we’re going.”
Libby’s insides crawled. Vince released his hold, and she took a step back. At the same time, her cell phone rang.
“It’s Sam,” she said as his contact info popped up on the screen.
Vince jerked the phone out of her hand. “What do you want, Bridger?”
She could only hear half the conversation, but it was enough.
“They’re fine,” Vince said. “For now.” Sam must have demanded to talk to her, because Vince handed her the phone.
“Are you okay?” Sam’s worried voice eased some of the fear inside her.
“I’m okay.”
“What about the Dunbars?”
She needed to give him as much information as possible. “Caleb tried to fight, and the three of them beat him pretty badly. He’s tied up in the bedroom. Jenny and the kids are in here with me, and they’re okay.”
Vince jerked the phone out of her hand and pressed the button ending the call. “You better hope Bridger keeps his cool and doesn’t call the cops.”
“He won’t.” At least Libby didn’t think he would. But Sam wouldn’t sit around waiting for something to happen. He would be taking action to try to resolve the situation. She trusted Sam. Libby just wished she knew what he was planning to do.
Chapter Fifteen
Sam paced the living room. Libby had relayed valuable information. Deacon Mitchell was in the cabin with Vince and Max, and Caleb was hurt and unable to give him any help. Across the room, Clara sat on the sofa while Big John stood next to the fireplace.
“We have to do something!” Clara said, breaking into the silence.
“I plan to,” Sam said. “I’m going to try to get Vince to release the Dunbars in exchange for me.”
Clara leaped up from the sofa. “No, Sam, you can’t do that. It’s too dangerous. Surely there’s another way.”
A sharp knock at the door drew everyone’s attention. Sam walked over and checked the peephole, saw Kade Logan standing on the porch. A dark brown Stetson rode low on his forehead. There had been no engine noise to signal his arrival.
Sam pulled open the door. “How the hell did you get here?”
“The old-fashioned way,” Kade said, taking his hat off as he walked into the house. “I rode my horse. Clara called and gave me a rundown. Now tell me what the hell is going on.”
Kade was a few years older than Sam, just as tall with the same hard-muscled build. He had short dark hair, dark eyes, and a square-jawed, ruggedly handsome face women seemed unable to resist.