Page 14 of Caleb's Cause
“Yes.”
Duane stepped outside and sent a group text, and after he sent it, he went to the main house. He saw Erin in the kitchen, and studied her intently, when she turned he must have worn a look because she set her sandwich down and hurried forward.
“Duane, what’s wrong? Is it one of the horses?”
“No, I might have a problem. I sent a text to the guys, and they’re on their way.”
“What’s the problem?”
“I came out of the barn to head home for lunch, and I found a woman standing in the middle of the parking lot. There are no extra vehicles, and it was like she was just dropped there. After a brief questioning, she said she walked here from Denver?”
“Holy shit, do you believe her?”
“Yes, she has the sunburns to prove it, and her shoes look like they’ve been used a lot. It’s hard to explain.”
“Talk to me about your gut FBI instinct.”
“She’s legit. She said she had a wild tale to tell, and had proof to back it up. But I wanted the guys, especially Clark, and you, here to help me talk to her.”
“Why me?” Clark asked from behind him, and Duane turned to see eight former Navy SEALs standing there, and sighed in relief when he saw they all had a gun strapped to their side. He repeated what he’d said to Erin already, then looked between the two siblings. “The woman, I’d say she is in her mid-twenties, asked if this was the Riceman Ranch, I told her yes, and asked who she was looking for.”
“Who?” Erin asked.
“I thought she was mistaken, but I remembered something said in the past. I sent the text for the guys to be here.”
“Spit it out, Duane,” Erin said angrily. “We can’t get to the bottom of this if you don’t tell us what the hell is going on.”
“This woman asked to see Emily Riceman.” He studied the siblings and saw their shock and shook his head when Reid asked if she had said Erin’s name.
“No, she stressed Emily.”
“What the hell?” Clark looked at Erin in concern.
“Who’s Emily Riceman?” Manny asked in confusion.
“Our mother.” Clark admitted.
“She and our father passed away in the accident where I lost my hand. That was six year ago.”
“Oh.”
“Take me to her,” Erin said, then demand after slamming her cup down, ignoring the spilled coffee. She turned to Reid. “Where are the guys?”
Because Reid knew who she was referring to, he pulled his phone and sent a text, then looked up with a grin. “In the sex barn.”
They all laughed and headed out the back door where Wendel, Floyd, and Virgil met with them.
“What’s up?”
“Someone arrived here on foot asking about Mom.” Erin didn’t beat around the bush, and the older men fell in line with the younger ones as Erin led the way. In the barn, Erin stopped and was able to observe the woman sitting quietly in a chair with her legs extended, her head thrown back, and eyes closed. She knocked on the window as Duane unlocked the door and it took several seconds before the woman roused, and when she looked around, like she had no clue where she was, Erin saw abject fear on her face, but when she saw Duane open the door, it turned to relief.
“Did you see that?” Erin whispered to Reid and Clark, who stood on either side of her.
“The fear?” Clark asked.
“Or the relief?” Reid asked.
Because the office was large enough, they all piled in, and Erin held out both her hands. “We come in peace,” she tried to lighten the mood, but still saw the fear on the other woman’s face.
