Murdock, page 3
Gabbie’s cheeks heated as she hooked her hand through the crook of his arm. “You don’t have a reason to redeem yourself. You stayed on the horse. Most people would’ve lost their seat when he reared.” She looked up at him. “Actually, I’m impressed you were still in the saddle.”
He chuckled. “I was just about to jump when you showed up to rescue me. I owe you.”
She shook her head. “No, you don’t. Anyone would’ve done what I did.”
He snorted. “Not everyone is as skilled a rider. You were amazing.”
Her chest swelled, and her heart beat faster. It was too bad they’d part ways after dinner. She might never see him again. Then again, it was a small town. “Hank said you’re working at the Lucky Lady Lodge.”
He nodded as they climbed the stairs to the back porch that stretched the length of the rambling ranch house Hank and Sadie had built when the old house had burned to the ground.
“I’m working with a group of former Special Operations guys. We’ve all traded our guns for hammers and are all in on the remodel of the lodge.”
“Any idea how long you’ll be working there?” she asked, trying not to sound too interested. Her breath caught and held as she waited for his response.
“As far as I can tell, as long as it takes. Molly McKinnon and her fiancé, Parker Bailey, want to restore the old place to its former glory and upgrade the amenities in the process. They’re aiming for Christmas to complete the renovations.”
“Five more months. That’s ambitious,” Gabbie said. “The old lodge took a hit with the explosions in the mine.”
“We were briefed on the trouble they had.” He frowned as he held the door for her to enter the house. “Mollie’s dad is lucky to be alive.”
“Yes, he is.” Gabbie’s lips pressed together. “I remember the dozens of men combing the hills for the missing McKinnon patriarch. We all thought he was dead.” She smiled tightly. “Thankfully, the McKinnon siblings never gave up.”
“They’re an amazing family from what I’ve seen so far. I’m glad to be a part of their vision to rebuild such a historic landmark.”
“How’s that going?” she asked as she led him down the hallway to the bathroom where they could wash up. The door was open. She waved toward the sink. “You can go first.”
“No reason we can’t both wash our hands at the same time.” He waited for her to enter and followed her inside.
Gabbie squirted soap into her hands and turned on the faucet.
While she washed her hands, he answered her question. “We’re done with the demolition side of the renovation and have started rebuilding the damaged walls and supports. It’s coming along.”
She shook the water from her hands and reached for the hand towel. “I’m surprised you’re here on a weekday.”
He soaped his hands and rinsed them beneath the running water. “We’re at a standstill, waiting for lumber. Supplies have been hard to come by in the past few weeks. That’s why I’m here today instead of working at the lodge. Hank found out we were at loose ends and asked me to come out to the ranch. Molly said I might as well.”
When Gabbie handed him the towel, their fingers brushed against each other. A shock of electricity ripped through her system, making her pulse quicken and her breath catch in her throat. She stood still, unable to move, to speak, the force of awareness so strong, it left her unable to think straight.
What was wrong with her? She had always led a focused life, completely committed to her studies and then her job. One chance rescue, and she was acting like a teenager crushing on the star quarterback who was completely out of her league.
This man had been all over the world, met hundreds of people and probably had any girl he wanted.
Gabbie had barely been out of Montana. What interest would he have in someone like her…a geek and socially inept woman, cursed with fiery red hair and freckles. She wasn’t even pretty.
She released her breath with a sigh.
His brow wrinkled. “Why the long face and sigh?”
Her cheeks heated. Was she that easy to read? “No reason. I’m just tired, and I have a long day tomorrow.”
“You were telling Hank something about delivering a horse?” Murdock stepped out into the hallway.
Gabbie followed. “Yeah. I—”
“There you are,” Hank called out from the end of the hall. “We’re waiting on you in the dining room.”
Gabbie grimaced. “Guess we’d better get a move on before they all get hangry.”
She led the way to the dining room, where Hank stood at the head of the table with Sadie McClain at his side.
Everyone waited until Gabbie and Murdock entered the room before they claimed their seats.
Hank waved a hand toward the two empty seats near Sadie. “We saved you two places.”
Murdock held Gabbie’s chair as she took her seat, then he settled beside her, his shoulder brushing hers.
Another rush of heat raced through her.
She sat still for a moment, willing her breathing to return to normal and her mind to engage.
Sadie sat beside Gabbie and reached out to squeeze her hand. “Thank you for taking care of Licorice. She seemed so much better when I rode her yesterday.”
Gabbie sucked in a breath and focused on Sadie, not the man on her other side, stirring her insides into a frenzy. “She’s back to a hundred percent. No signs of colic, and she was full of energy on our ride.”
Murdock leaned close to Gabbie. “Is Licorice the black mare we rode back to the barn?”
She nodded and smiled at Sadie. “She felt good enough to chase down Little Joe, who’d spooked and taken off with Murdock. I’d say she’s back in top form.”
“I’m so relieved,” Sadie said.
“You caught it early enough that treatment was swift and effective,” Gabbie assured the beautiful blond actress who’d grown up on the ranch where Hank had ultimately set up his Brotherhood Protectors organization. She could have lived anywhere else in the world, but she’d chosen to come home.
Gabbie understood why. She didn’t have to set up her veterinary practice in Eagle Rock, but she couldn’t think of anywhere else she’d rather be. She loved the town, the people and the Crazy Mountains.
Platters of food made their way around the table as each person loaded their plate with the juicy roast, garlic-roasted potatoes, corn on the cob and salad.
“Where are the babies?” Gabbie asked Sadie.
Sadie smiled. “I fed them just a little while ago and settled them down for the night. They had a busy day. Chuck Johnson and his wife Kate brought Lyla over to play with Emma. Little McLain crawled all over the place, trying to keep up with them. By the time Chuck’s family left, Emma and McClain were exhausted. They’re sound asleep.” Sadie’s face shone with her love for her children, making Gabbie just a little envious of her. Not for her mega-stardom but for her happy life as Hank’s wife and the mother of two beautiful, healthy children.
Now that Gabbie had her license and was fully engaged as a practicing veterinarian, she had time to think about her next goal in life. Should she specialize in her practice? Or could she finally find time to have a life. Maybe even one like Sadie and Hank’s or Chuck and Kate’s.
As an only child, Gabbie had always wanted a brother or sister. When that hadn’t happened, and her mother and father had retired to Florida, she’d thought about having children of her own. Trouble was, she hadn’t found the time in her busy schedule to date. Hell, she hadn’t found anyone even mildly interesting enough to strike up a conversation with.
The thigh brushing against hers sent a ripple of excitement racing along her nerve endings.
A little voice in her mind whispered, What about Murdock?
“Gabbie, you said you have to pick up a horse tomorrow?” Hank said, his eyebrows raised. “What’s that about?”
She nodded, pulling her thoughts away from the man beside her. “Yes. I’m supposed to be at the Double Diamond Ranch to pick up a horse at five-thirty in the morning.”
“Is the horse sick?” Sadie asked.
Gabbie shook her head. “No. Just the opposite. He’s in perfect health and going to his new owner at a ranch west of Anaconda, outside a little town called Last Resort.”
Hank frowned. “Last Resort… Wasn’t that town in the news recently?”
Swede lowered his fork. “As I recall, a man was arrested for shooting at cars passing on the road going through the area.”
Hank nodded. “That’s right. He said they were trespassing and that Last Resort had seceded from the United States and was a separate country in its own right.” He frowned across the table at Gabbie. “The ranch is on the other side of Last Resort?”
She nodded. “And you just outlined my concern.”
“Can you bypass Last Resort by coming from another direction?” Hank asked.
“I looked at the map. Coming in from the opposite direction would add three hours to my two-hour trip. There’s a mountain range I’d have to go around to approach from the west.”
Swede had his cell phone out with the map pulled up. “She’s right. Still, it might be worth the additional three hours to avoid Last Resort. From what I read, the town is full of hard right preppers, who are all prepared for doomsday to the point they’ve been accused of plotting doomsday.”
“Oh, sweetie,” Sadie laid her hand on Gabbie’s arm, “you can’t go through there. That’s too dangerous. If you really have to go, you need to take the extra time to go the long way.”
Gabbie shook her head. “The guy who bought the horse is paying me enough for the transport that I can afford to purchase and install a large x-ray machine in my clinic. I can’t pass up this opportunity. Besides, they arrested the man who was shooting at passersby. It should be safe to go through there now.”
Swede looked up from his phone and shook his head. “He’s out on bail.”
Gabbie sighed. “Then I’ll just have to take the long way around.”
“How close is the ranch to Last Resort?” Swede asked.
“Five miles to the west,” Gabbie answered. “That’s what’s so frustrating.”
Murdock frowned. “What if the buyer is one of the preppers espousing Last Resort and the surrounding area as a sovereign nation?”
Gabbie’s brow dipped. “I hadn’t thought of that. His name is Michael Howard.”
Hank shook his head. “Doesn’t ring a bell.”
Swede was busy typing with his thumbs on his cell phone. “Michael Howard isn’t coming up with anything significant. I did find a former financial advisor, Michael Howe, involved in a Ponzi scheme. He was accused of bilking investors out of millions but was acquitted when the head of the firm, Jack Paulson, pleaded guilty and took the blame. Paulson spent one month in federal prison before he was found unresponsive in his prison bed with a plastic bag cinched tightly over his head.” Swede looked up. “It’s been five years, and they never determined who killed him.”
“Not the kind of people you want to get sideways with,” Viper commented.
Dallas leaned into Viper. “Not anyone I’d want to have dealings with.”
Gabbie’s gut clenched. “Wow. If my client’s name was Michael Howe, I’d back out of the transfer, but his name is Howard, not Howe. And I’ve already paid the medical supply company for the x-ray machine.” She squared her shoulders. “Besides, that was five years ago. The Michael Howard I’m going to meet isn’t the Michael Howe who worked with Paulson.”
Sadie squeezed her hand. “Honey, why take the chance? Passing through Last Resort is bad enough.”
“I’m only going to deliver a horse,” Gabbie insisted. “As far as I know, he’s just a man who bought a horse.”
“A very expensive horse,” Murdock said, “that he might be paying for with money he stole from duped investors.”
“It’s all conjecture,” Gabbie said. “And I don’t want to take the horse on a five-hour trip when I can make the same trip in two hours.”
Sadie patted her hand. “If you’re sure you want to go, then at least let Hank send one of his protectors along with you.”
Gabbie met Hank’s gaze. “You’d do that for me?”
“Absolutely,” Hank said.
Viper held up a hand. “Dallas or I would go, but we’re scheduled to meet with a client tomorrow morning.”
“We could call and reschedule,” Dallas offered.
“That’s not necessary,” Hank said. “Everyone else is on assignment, but I can go with Gabbie.”
“I can reschedule my visit to the hospital in Bozeman,” Sadie said.
Hank frowned. “That’s right. I had daddy duty tomorrow.”
Sadie nodded. “But I’m sure I can reschedule and stay home with Emma and McClain.”
“The patients will be disappointed,” Hank said.
“It’ll be okay,” Sadie said. “Gabbi needs you to go with her.”
“I’ll go,” Murdock said.
Gabbie turned to the man beside her. “But you don’t work for Hank.”
“Does it matter?” Murdock asked. “We’re on hold at the lodge until more supplies arrive. Molly and Parker won’t mind if I take another day off.”
Hank grinned. “It’s one of the many kinds of service we offer our clients. You could consider this a trial run for working as a Brotherhood Protector.”
“I’d do it whether or not I worked for Brotherhood Protectors,” Murdock said. “I owe her for rescuing me.”
Gabbie shook her head. “You don’t owe me anything.”
“Fine,” he said. “I’m still going with you.” He glanced across at Hank. “If that’s okay with you.”
Hank nodded. “It’s perfect. And, before you leave the house, let me equip you with whatever you might need should you run into any trouble.”
“I have my own handgun,” Murdock said.
“Good,” Hank nodded at the table. “Let’s finish eating this wonderful food our chef has provided; then we can talk shop in the Brotherhood Protectors’ headquarters.”
The rest of the meal was spent in relative silence, everyone concentrating on finishing the food on their plate.
Finally, Sadie laughed and tossed her napkin on the plate. “I’m done if you’re waiting on me to finish.”
“Are you sure?” Hank asked. “The roast was perfect, and the potatoes… Everything was great.”
“Yes, the food was great,” Murdock said, his words echoing around the table.
“Thank you,” Sadie said. “Leave the dishes on the table. I’m going down with you.”
As one, they rose from the table and followed Hank to a door on the far side of the massive living room. He leaned close to a retinal scanner. A light flashed, and the door opened to a staircase leading down into a darkened basement.
As soon as Hank set foot on the top step, the staircase lit up. He descended quickly.
Gabbie followed with Murdock close behind her.
At the bottom of the staircase, an enormous room spread out before them with a large conference table and a display screen at one end. In a far corner of the room was an array of monitors and a row of computer keyboards.
Swede took a seat in front of the monitors, his hands flying over the keyboard.
Hank waved toward a room to his right. “Let me show you what we have available to our team, depending on the mission.” When he opened the door, the interior light automatically blinked on.
Gabbie gasped.
Inside were racks of every type of weapon imaginable, including some that might not be legal to own as a civilian.
“You should be all right with your own handgun, but you might want to take a high-powered rifle, just in case.” Hank nodded toward what appeared to be military-grade semi-automatic rifles. “Then again, you might not want to be that obvious, going into prepper territory. They might see you as a threat.”
“I’ll stick with my Glock,” Murdock said.
Hank nodded and moved to a set of shelves and drawers against one wall. “Definitely take some communications equipment. If you two get separated, at least you can stay in contact.” Hank pulled a small duffle bag off a shelf and loaded what appeared to be earbuds, walkie-talkies and night vision goggles inside.
He reached into a small drawer and pulled out a necklace with a shiny pendant dangling from the chain. “Gabbie, you need to wear this at all times. If you get lost or separated from Murdock, he can track you with this.” He flashed a hand-held device in front of her and tucked it into the bag. “We can also track you on our computer here.”
Murdock took the necklace from Hank’s hand and stepped behind Gabbie.
She lifted her ponytail out of the way, allowing him to secure the necklace around her neck. When his fingers brushed against her skin, she shivered deliciously.
Murdock rested his hands on her shoulders. “Don’t lose that.”
She nodded, her heart pounding against her ribs.
Viper held up a block of what looked like clay and some metal pieces. “You shouldn’t go anywhere with a little C-4 in case you need to get someone’s attention or need to blow a door.” He added the plastic explosives to the bag.
“I’m delivering a horse,” Gabbie protested, “not going to war.”
“It’s better to have too much than not enough,” Hank said. “Are you sure you don’t need a rifle?”
“On second thought, yes,” Murdock said.
Hank handed him one of the rifles that looked like what the military carried. “It’s basically the same model as the M4A1 you carried on active duty, tricked out with many of the same features as the SOFMOD upgrade.”
Gabbie touched the metal pendant, her head spinning with all Hank had stored in the basement of his home. “Is this all necessary?”
Murdock stepped in front of her and took her hands in his. “Probably not. The thing is, we don’t know what to expect. And we’re always better safe than sorry.”
