No Ordinary Cowboy (Mills & Boon American Romance) (Rodeo Rebels - Book 6) (7 page)

“What’s going on?” his boss asked.

“I went out to the Durango mine this afternoon.”

Romero sat straighter in the chair. “I told you to wait until I had a chance to speak with Durango himself.”

“Lucy offered to take me out there.” He skipped the deal he’d made with her.

“Why is this girl with you?”

“She was hiding inside the mine.”

“Were there others?”

“She said there were nine others close to her age.”

“How old is she?”

“Twelve.”

A low whistle escaped Romero.

“She won’t tell me her name,” Tony said.

The chief spoke in Spanish to the girl but she ignored him and petted Maddie. “What else did she tell you?”

“That she was kidnapped on the way home from school and the bad guys threatened her family if she refused to go with them.”

“Damn thugs. Does she know the name of her captors?”

“No. But she said the men carried big guns.” Tony turned in his seat. “According to her, they all walked across the border then got into a van concealed by bushes.”

“What color was the van?”

“Black.”

“Do you think these guys could be the men you spotted running through the desert outside your mother’s trailer park the other night?”

“I doubt it,” Tony said. “It’s too bad they got away, but they split up and it was impossible to track them.”

Romero reached inside the desk drawer and removed his sack lunch. He held it out to the girl.
“¿Tienes hambre?”

She dug through the bag and pulled out a sticky bun to share with Maddie.

“When did you get a dog?” Romero asked.

“That’s Maddie. She belonged to Michael Durango. I’m taking care of her for a few days.”

“What else have you learned?”

“Not much. The girl slept most of the way here.”

“I’ll call in Dobbs to process her.” Carmen Dobbs was one of four female field agents in the Yuma district. “She’ll get a name out of her and a description of the men who kidnapped her.”

“How soon can we set up a surveillance team out at the mine?” Finding the girl today was a lucky break, and Tony didn’t want the trail to grow cold.

“I’ll make a few phone calls while you wait for Dobbs.”

“Thanks, chief.” Tony nudged the girl’s arm and she and Maddie followed him from the room. The kid needed a shower and clean clothes but he’d leave that up to Dobbs. He stopped at the women’s restroom and pointed to the door. The girl shook her head—if she’d been without water for a while it would be hours before she’d have to go.

He collected a handful of water bottles from the refrigerator in the officer’s lounge then ushered her into an interview room. He told her to stay with Maddie and wait for the nice lady to help her get cleaned up. He returned a few minutes later with a water bowl for Maddie, then locked the door, not wanting the girl to walk out of the station and try to make her way back to Mexico with Maddie in tow.

Chapter Seven

Lucy parked the truck in the driveway then skipped up the porch steps, eager to find out if her father had returned from California. As soon as she stepped inside the house, his voice bellowed from the office down the hallway.

“Is that you, Lucinda?”

Her father sounded as if he was in a bad mood. Bracing herself, she paused in the office doorway. “How was your trip?”

“Never mind my trip.” He glared over the top of his reading glasses and shook one of the fundraiser flyers she’d had printed. “What’s the meaning of this?”

“Where did you get that?”

“On the way home from the airport I stopped at the Chevron station in town and noticed this in the convenience-store window.” He flung the paper aside. “Is this some kind of joke?”

“No.”

He vacated his throne—Lucy and her brother’s name for the huge leather chair covered in a brown-and-white cowhide—and stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the Bryan Mountains.

Lucy engaged in a glare-down with her father’s reflection in the glass. “Since you cut off my trust fund and the federal grant for the Pony Express was reduced by half, I needed to find a way to make up the loss.”

“And riding a bull will bring in enough money to save your redneck taxi service?”

Ignoring the insult, she said, “People still remember what a great bull rider Michael was. It makes sense that I’d honor his memory by using rodeo events to help fund the Pony Express.”

“You’re trying my patience, daughter.”

What else was new? According to her father she’d been doing that since early childhood.

“First, you graduated college with a business degree then turned down a job with the Rushmore Foundation.” He pointed his finger at her. “I went out on a limb asking Jacob Nervier to hire you. Second, you came up with the ridiculous idea to drive inebriated, no-good—”

“You were on board with my business plan a year ago.”

“Because I didn’t believe you had a chance in hell of pulling it off.”

Her father never wasted an opportunity to remind Lucy that she was just his
daughter.
At times, she wondered if anything she did would ever be good enough. Cal Durango had pinned all his hopes and dreams on his son. It was too late for Lucy to right the wrongs of the past, but couldn’t her father see that her fundraising idea would bring back the excitement of rodeo for him? Only this time he’d experience it with
her.

“You have to stop this nonsense.” The crevices bracketing his mouth deepened and he appeared older than his fifty-nine years. “Your brother is gone. As much as I’d give anything to bring Michael back, I can’t, and neither can the Pony Express.”

The hairs on the back of Lucy’s neck stood on end. “I’m not the only one having trouble letting Michael go.”

Her father’s head jerked as if she’d slapped him.

“You blame Tony for Michael’s death, so you’re trying to do everything in your power to ruin his life.”

“Watch yourself, young lady. You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You wouldn’t allow Tony access to the gold mine until I—”

“Because Bravo didn’t have a shred of evidence that the ranch was being used to transport young girls through the desert.” He flung his glasses onto the desk. “I don’t know why we’re arguing about this. I gave you my permission to take him to Gold Dust Ridge.”

“And I’m glad you did.”

“Oh?”

“I just came back from there,” she said.

“And?”

“We found a young girl hiding in the mine.”

“Is she all right?”

That her father cared surprised Lucy. “Yes. Tony took her to the Yuma Border Patrol Station. His hunch was right.”

“Damn it, I can’t have young girls being abducted and held captive on Durango land.”

This was one situation where her father’s clout and influence wouldn’t work. “Tony’s speaking to his boss about putting together a surveillance team and monitoring activity at the mine.”

“When?”

“I don’t know. You’ll have to speak with Tony’s boss.”

“Don’t think I won’t,” he said. “I want this gang of thugs captured before the ranch is linked to the kidnappings.”

“I’m sure the border patrol will keep you posted on their investigation.” Lucy made it halfway to the door before her father stopped her.

“Stay right where you are, young lady.” He closed the gap between them and rattled the rodeo flyer in her face. “This nonsense ends today.”

Time to throw down the gauntlet. “If you don’t want me riding bulls then release money from my trust fund and I’ll cancel my rodeo appearances.”

Steam spewed from her father’s ears. “No.”

So be it.

“Lucy, are you home?” Drat. Her mother had returned from her hair appointment at the Bee Luv Lee Hair Salon.

“In Dad’s office.”

“What’s the meaning of this?” Her mother held up a flyer. Lucy had left flyers and pledge cards with all the businesses in town and Helen, the owner of the beauty shop, must have shown it to her mother.

“Can I count on a pledge from you, Mom?”

Sonja Durango nudged her husband. “Do something, Cal. I will not have a daughter of mine riding bulls.”

“Lucy is being stubborn.” Her father’s eyebrows drew together. “Wonder who she inherited that trait from?”

“I forbid you to ride a bull, Lucy,” her mother said. “Good grief, you’ll be the laughing stock of southern Arizona.”

Lucy sympathized with her concern that others would gossip about the family. After Michael’s death their mother had been the target of rumors among members of her philanthropic group who’d suggested that if Sonja had spent less time championing her causes and more time being a mother her son might have known not to drink and drive.

Insinuating that her mother had failed to teach her son an important life lesson was the furthest thing from the truth, but because Lucy hadn’t come forward about what had really happened the night Michael died, Sonja hadn’t been able to defend herself against the accusations.

“My back is against the wall, Mom. I need to make enough money to keep the Pony Express van on the road for the rest for the year.”

“For God’s sake, Cal, write her a check.”

“It’s a waste of money.”

“I don’t care about the money. I won’t stand by and allow another child of mine to get killed.” Her mother rummaged through her purse.

“Don’t you dare give Lucy money,” her father said.

“Don’t tell me what to do, Cal.” Her mother made out a check and handed it to Lucy, staring defiantly at her husband.

Her parents’ relationship had been under a tremendous amount of stress since Michael’s death, and Lucy refused to add to it by taking her mother’s money. “Thank you for wanting to help, Mom, but I have to do this on my own.” She set the ten-thousand-dollar draft on the desk.

When tears welled in her mother’s eyes, Lucy hugged her. “I’ll be fine. I’m going to wear protective gear and a face mask and I’m not riding the same bulls as the men do. The bulls I ride will be a lot less threatening.” Hating that she’d upset her mother, Lucy inched toward the door. “Don’t forget to tell Mom what Tony and I discovered at the mine today.”

“What did you find out there?” her mother asked.

“A little girl,” Lucy answered.

“Is that true, Cal?”

“I’m afraid so. Bravo seems to think the girl’s tied to the human-smuggling case he’s investigating.”

“Is she okay?”

“Physically she seems okay,” Lucy said. “Tony’s got her at the station and they’re trying to track down her parents.”

“Thank God she wasn’t harmed.” Sonja sank into the chair in front of the desk. “What will people think of us when they learn young girls are being transported across our property and sold into prostitution?”

Lucy left the room, her parents’ voices fading as she walked out the front door. Feeling edgy, she decided to take her frustrations out on the mechanical bull at Maria Bravo’s trailer.

* * *

“T
HIS IS A
nice surprise,” Maria said when she got out of her car.

“Hi, Maria.” Lucy hopped off the bucking machine and pulled the plug. “I hope you don’t mind that I came out here to practice.”

“Of course not. I brought home half an apple pie from work. Will you have a piece with me?” She entered the trailer, leaving Lucy little choice but to accept her invitation.

“Have you spoken with Tony today?” Lucy closed the door behind her.

“No.” Maria hung up her waitressing apron. “Did something happen to him?”

“Tony’s fine.” At least he was when she’d last seen him.

“What’s going on?” The older woman washed her hands at the kitchen sink and served the pie.

“Tony and I discovered a young girl hiding in the mine.” Before Maria asked, Lucy added, “The girl’s fine.”

“Was she abducted from Mexico?” Maria asked.

“Tony believes so.”

Maria placed the dessert plates on the table. “I hope they track down the men responsible before another girl is harmed.” She motioned for Lucy to sit down. “I imagine your parents were upset to learn about the illegal activity on their property?”

Lucy didn’t want to discuss her parents. Since she’d arrived at the trailer park she’d been ambushed by memories of the few months she and Tony had been a couple before their abrupt breakup. “It’s going to be difficult when Tony leaves.” Face flushing, Lucy quickly amended her statement. “For you.”

“Yes, it will be.”

“Would you consider relocating to San Diego to be closer to him?”

“I can’t afford to live in California, and my friends are here.” Maria spread her arms wide. “This might not be much, but it’s home.”

Taking a fortifying breath Lucy asked the question that had nagged her since she’d learned Tony planned to transfer to the border patrol office in San Diego. “Is there more to Tony’s leaving than a job promotion?” She really wanted to know if there was a woman waiting for him in San Diego.

“I’m guessing there are too many bad memories here for Tony,” Maria said.

No one could outrun memories. Lucy had learned that lesson after Michael had died. Not a day went by that his image didn’t pop into her mind or she didn’t hear his voice in her head.

“He can’t forgive himself for leaving Michael at the bar that night.” Maria sniffed.

“It wasn’t Tony’s fault—” Lucy swallowed the lump in her throat. “Michael drank too much.”

Maria flashed a sad smile. “He understands that, but Michael was like a brother to him and Tony feels he should have protected him.”

The apple pie Lucy had eaten congealed in her stomach, making her nauseous. Michael had phoned from the bar that fateful night and asked her to pick him up, but Lucy had refused, insisting he call their father for a ride. The impact of her actions went beyond her brother’s death and she worried that nothing she did would ever make amends for the pain and sorrow others continued to struggle with.

“I better get going.” Ignoring Maria’s startled look, Lucy carried her plate to the sink then walked out the door and drove away as if the devil himself chased her.

Concentrating on the road, Lucy blocked out thoughts of Michael and the past. When she neared the site of her brother’s accident her foot hit the brake and she pulled onto the shoulder. She gripped the wheel until her knuckles ached, fearing that if she let go, she’d get out of the truck.

Forces beyond her control beat her down. She grabbed her cell phone and started walking. One step at a time, she marched through the desert, keeping her attention on the horizon. She walked. And walked.

Then walked some more.

The late-afternoon sun scorched the top of her head and singed the skin on her arms as the dry dusty air strangled her. She kept walking. Sweat ran down her face, dripped between her breasts and dampened her armpits. Suddenly an invisible energy grasped her arm and jerked her to a stop.

“Michael?” she whispered in a choked voice. She’d visited this area several times after the accident, hoping her brother’s spirit would tell her that he forgave her. Where was his voice now when she needed to hear it most?

The ringing of her cell phone jarred her out of her trance. “Hello?”

“What the hell are you doing out there?”

Tony?
Lucy turned and spotted his truck parked behind hers on the road. From this distance the vehicles looked like toy cars. She must have walked at least a mile into the desert.

“I’m taking a walk.”

“It’s 104 degrees.”

Not in the mood to spar with him, Lucy disconnected the call and hiked back to the road. By the time she made it to the truck, her T-shirt was soaked through and her hair was plastered to her head.

Tony handed her a water bottle.

“Thanks.” She guzzled the cool liquid.

“I was on my way to speak with your father when I saw your truck.” He shook his head. “Are you nuts?” He motioned to the empty water bottle. “Walking aimlessly in the desert without water?”

“I wasn’t going far.”

“Are you having a nervous breakdown?”

She laughed.

Tony shoved a hand through his jet-black hair. “All this nonsense—”

“What nonsense?”

“Bull riding. Walks in the desert.” He removed his sunglasses and squinted at her. “Ever since you came back from college you’ve been on a mission to…”

“Go on. Say it.”

“To bring Michael back from the dead.”

First her father, now Tony accused her of not being able to let go of Michael.

“You’ve got to move on, Lucy.”

“Like you?”

“Like me what?”

“You can’t stand the thought of living here anymore because Michael’s gone, so you’re running away to San Diego.”

Tony couldn’t defend himself against Lucy’s charge, because she was right. He was on the run, but he didn’t care about the demons chasing him. He cared about leaving Lucy behind, still struggling with her brother’s death.

“I come out here to talk to Michael.” She glanced over her shoulder. “My parents still haven’t spread his ashes and this is the only place I can go where I feel a connection to him.”

He hated seeing Lucy suffer but how the hell could he stop her pain short of bringing Michael back to life? “Was he out there today?”