Stone Cold Surrender (20 page)

work,
well,
her
husband
owns
an
investigation
firm.
After
you
left
here
today,
I
contacted
him
and
gave
him
your
uncle’s
name.”

Stone
sat
back
in
the
chair,
his
gaze
locked
with
hers
as
he
rubbed
his
chin.
“And?”

Madison
swallowed
nervously.
“And,
according
to
Frank,
when
he
entered
your
uncle’s
name
into
the
database,
he
discovered
another
investigative
firm,
one
that’s
located

somewhere
in
Texas,
was
checking
out
your
uncle’s
past,
as
well.
For
some
reason
it
seems
that
I’m
not
the
only
one
who
wants
information
about
him.”

Stone
frowned
and
sat
up
straight
in
his
chair.
Anger

suddenly
lined
his
features.
“Are
you
trying
to
accuse
my
uncle
of—”

“No!
I’m
not
accusing
him
of
anything.
Even
Frank
indicated
that
he’s
clean
and
doesn’t
have
a
criminal
record
or

anything.
I
just
thought
it
was
strange
and
felt
that
you

should
know.”

Stone
stared
at
Madison
for
a
long
moment
then
stood
in
front
of
her.
“I
don’t
know
what
interest
another
investigative
company
has
in
my
uncle
but,
whatever
the
reason,
it
has
nothing
to
do
with
his
character,
Madison.
Corey

Westmoreland
is
one
of
the
finest
men
I
know.
I
admit
he

can
be
somewhat
ornery
at
times
and
set
in
his
ways,
but
I

would
and
do
trust
him
with
my
life.”

Madison
heard
the
defensive
anger
in
Stone’s
voice

although
he
tried
to
control
it.
She
crossed
her
arms
over
her
chest
and
gazed
up
at
him.
“I
wasn’t
insinuating
that
he
wasn’t
a—”

“Weren’t
you?
I
also
think
that
until
you
talk
to
your
mother
and
see
her
for
yourself
to
make
sure
she’s
not
up
there
with
some
crazy
mountain
man,
you
won’t
have
a
moment
of
peace.”

Unable
to
help
himself,
Stone
reached
out
and
brushed
a
strand
of
hair
back
from
her
face.
There
were
tension
lines
around
her
eyes
and
the
mouth
he
had
kissed
earlier
that
day
was
strained,
agitated
and
on
edge.
“And
I
intend
to
give
you
that
peace.
I
will
take
you
up
Corey’s
Mountain

myself.”

His
words
had
an
immediate
effect
on
Madison
and
she
released
her
arms
from
across
her
chest.
Her
heart
began
beating
a
mile
a
minute.
“You
will?”
she
asked
in
a
rush.

“Yes.
I
would
head
up
there
first
thing
in
the
morning,
but

unfortunately
you
don’t
have
the
proper
attire
to
make
such
a
trip.
We
need
to
take
care
of
that
as
well
as
getting
the
supplies
we’ll
need.
If
all
that
works
out
then
we
can
leave
the
day
after
tomorrow,
bright
and
early.
We’ll
take
a
truck
as
far
as
Martin
Quinns’
ranch,
then
borrow
a
couple
of
his

horses
to
go
the
rest
of
the
way
on
up.”

Madison
tried
to
mask
her
relief.
She
hated
admitting
it
but
Stone
was
right.
She
wouldn’t
have
a
moment
of
peace

until
she
saw
and
talked
to
her
mother
herself.
“I’ll
make

sure
I
get
all
the
things
I
need.”

Stone
nodded.
“I’m
going
to
make
sure
you
get
all
the

things
you
need,
too.
I’ll
be
picking
you
up
in
the
morning
to
drive
you
into
town
and
take
you
to
the
general
store.
We
should
be
able
to
purchase
everything
we’ll
need
from

there.”

Madison
nodded.
Uncertain
what
to
say
next
she
knew
of
the
one
thing
that
she
had
to
say.
“Thank
you,
Stone.”

Her
heart
lurched
in
her
chest
when
she
saw
that
her
words
of
thanks
had
not
softened
the
lines
around
his
eyes.
He

was
still
upset
with
her
for
what
she’d
insinuated
about
his
uncle.

“Don’t
mention
it.
I’ll
see
you
in
the
morning.’’
And
without
saying
anything
else,
he
crossed
the
room
and
walked
out
of
the
door.

Four

W
hoever
said
you
can
take
the
girl
out
of
the
city
but
you
can’t
take
the
city
out
of
the
girl
must
have
known
a
woman
like
Madison
Winters,
Stone
thought,
as
he
sat
silently
in
the
chair
with
his
long
legs
stretched
out
in
front
of
him
and
watched
her
move
around
the
cabin
packing
for
their
trip.

That
morning
they
had
gone
to
the
general
store
to

purchase
the
items
they
would
need.
Getting
her
prepared
for
their
excursion
had
taken
up
more
time
than
he
figured
it
would.
When
he
had
inventoried
what
she’d
brought
with

her
from
Boston,
he
hadn’t
been
surprised
to
discover
her
stylish
clothing—mostly
with
designer
labels—included

nothing
that
would
be
durable
enough
to
travel
up
into
the

mountains.
When
they’d
driven
into
town
she
had
agreed

with
his
suggestion
that
she
buy
several
pairs
of
jeans,
T-

shirts,
flannel
shirts,
a
couple
of
sweaters,
a
wool
jacket,

heavy-duty
socks
and,
most
important,
good
hiking
boots.
He
had
also
strongly
suggested
that
she
buy
a
wide-

brimmed
hat.
He’d
explained
to
her
that
the
days
would
be
hot
and
the
nights
would
be
cold.

He
had
taken
care
of
the
other
things
such
as
the
food
they
would
need,
the
sleeping
bags
they
would
use,
as
well
as
the
rental
of
the
truck
that
would
carry
them
as
far
as
the

Quinns’
ranch.