Page 58 of Lost and Found Cowboy

The clerk and recorder?

“Why?”

“He told my mommy he wants her coffee shop, and she said she would give it to him.”

“Where are you? And where is Izzy?”

Max turned the phone to show the baby asleep in the swing behind him then brought it back to his face. “Gertie is supposed to be coming. But she’s not here yet. And I don’t know what to do.”

“You did exactly the right thing, buddy,” Mack told him. “And I’m on my way to you right now. But I’m on my horse, and I need you to hang tight while I get back to the barn and to my truck. Can you just stay on the phone with me? And stay right there next to your sister?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, hang tight.” He gripped the phone tighter then pushed the horse into a full gallop, racing across the field and into the barn. “You still with me, Max?” he called out. He heard a small voice say “yes” as he tucked the phone into his front pocket then frantically pulled off the saddle and bridle, latching Zeus in his stall and sprinting toward his truck.

As soon as he was inside, he pulled his phone back out and was relieved to see Max still sitting in the same space. “I’m in my truck. I’ll be there in three minutes. You doin’ okay?”

“Yeah. Mocha is here too.” He tipped the phone to show the dog curled in his lap.

“I’m glad. You keep petting Mocha and letting your sister sleep. You’re doing an amazing job. I’m really proud of you, and I’m so glad you called me.”

“Me too.”

“Hey Max, why do you have your mom’s phone?”

“Because my daddy hit it out of her hand when she tried to call Gertie. Then they left without it, so I used it to call you.”

His fingers curled tighter around the steering wheel. He was going to kill that son-of-a-bitch. “That was a really smart thing to do,” he said, keeping the focus on the boy’s clever actions instead of the violent ones of his father.

He kept up an easy conversation with the boy as he sped into town and practically jumped the curb pulling into the driveaway. Max was sitting on the floor by the corner of the sofa when Mack flung open the door, but he got up when he saw him, ran across the room, and flung himself into his arms.

Mack wrapped him up tight, pressing his cheek to the boy’s head and thanking God for protecting him and Izzy while they were on their own.

An undercurrent of dread filled him as he thought about what was happening with Lorna, but he knew her well enough to know she’d want him to take care of her kids first before worrying about trying to find her.

The door opened behind him, and he turned to see Gertie coming in.

“My word, I’m so sorry I’m late. I had a flat tire, and I had to wait for the garage to come out and help me, and my stupid phone was dead.” She paused in the process of dumping her purse and knitting bag on the table then her expression turned to concern as she must have noticed Max’s tear-stained face and the way he was holding on so tightly to Mack. “What’s going on? What’s happened?”

“My daddy came over and took my mommy,” Max told her. “She tried to get him to wait for you, but he said no, so I called Mack on her phone all by myself.”

Gertie’s eyes widened in alarm. “What?”

“It sounds like Lyle took Lorna to the courthouse to get her to sign over the coffee shop to him,” Mack explained.

“Why would she do that?”

“Because my daddy said he would take me and Izzy away if she didn’t.”

That bastard.

“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry I was late,” Gertie fretted. “I can’t believe today of all days…”

“It’s okay, it wasn’t your fault. It was all Lyle’s.” He didn’t want to think about how terrified Lorna must have been to leave her babies alone. “And apparently, our sweet girl has slept through the whole ordeal.” Mack nodded to Izzy as he gently set the boy down on the sofa. The little dog jumped up and curled into his lap. “Now that Gertie’s here, I’m going to go find your mom, okay?”

Max nodded.

Gertie hustled to the sofa, sat down, and pulled the boy to her side. “Should I call the police?”

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