Page 18 of Caleb's Cause
“Come into the house with me, Caleb, would you like to join us?” She didn’t wait for an answer. “Let’s let the men do what they do. Do you trust them to look through your bag?”
“Yes.”
“One question.” Duane spoke as he picked up the bag and placed it on his desk. “Do you own a cell phone?”
“Yes, but it was in the glovebox of my car, with the battery removed, which Lyle took to his house, he lives in the country, and said he would put it in the barn and cover it with a tarp. Thatwas what I believe to be two weeks ago, the battery is probably dead by now. Mom has my credit cards, and my bank card. As soon as I was able to withdraw cash, I gave it to her. The only ID on me is my driver’s license. The only cash is in that bag, along with all the clothes I own. Oh, and there’s a tent, and some camping equipment, not a lot, but it kept me alive. As I told you when you first questioned me, I walked from Denver to here, sticking to the back roads. I left by bus from the terminal in Los Angeles, California, twenty-three days ago.”
“Thank you,” Duane said as he watched her turn, stumble, where Caleb caught her, and followed Erin to the house. No one said a word for several moments after they disappeared.
“Well, shit,” Clark said, then chuckled as he rubbed his hands together. “Do we have a mission to look into here, men?”
CHAPTER 7
Erin ledthe way into her house, and as soon as they entered the kitchen, she turned to Caleb. “Please see that Katherine has something to eat. I’ll be right back.” She turned on her heel and left the kitchen, assuming Caleb would do as instructed. The first thing she did was stop by her office to speak with Julie.
“Hey,” she said, and waited for her assistant to look up from her work.
“Where did you go?” Julie asked in confusion. “Not that I question you, but I turned around and you were gone.”
“Yeah, something came up,” Erin said as she walked into the office and laid a piece of paper in the center of Julie’s desk. “I’ll explain later, but could you give Jake a call? I need him to start researching these names. Tell him Duane will be getting to him later about this same thing, but I want to get a jump on it. I know I don’t have control over Jake, but could you please tell him that I said it was urgent?”
Julie picked up the paper and shook her head as she looked at her boss. “Any clue as to where I should have him start looking? Like a general area?”
“Los Angeles, California.”
“Oh, okay, that’s specific, and I’m assuming you want the normal check?”
“No, tell him to go as deep as he can, and as fast as he can. Also tell him that he might even want to bring Hank Patterson in on this. Maybe even Carter Manning over in Yellowstone. My gut is screaming that this is going to be big, and will probably go to hell in a handbasket before it’s over.”
“I understand,” Julie said, but on the inside she was freaking out by Erin dropping all these names. She drew in a deep breath, held it for at least fifteen seconds before she let it out in a rush.
“Good, oh, and don’t be freaked, Katherine Miller is sitting in the kitchen with Caleb getting something to eat. I need to run up to the attic, but I’ll be right back down. I promise. You can join them, make sure Katherine eats something, but contact Jake first.” Knowing her instructions would be carried out, Erin turned and walked away. Twenty minutes later, she joined the three people in the kitchen when the older men she’d grown up with walked in.
“How’s everything going?” Erin asked, expecting a particular answer, which she wasn’t disappointed when Wendell spoke.
“They turned military, we left. Had no clue what they were talking about.”
“Why?” Katherine and Caleb asked as the same time. They looked at the men, then at Erin.
“Because,” Julie spoke after getting the rough, bare-bones story as to why Katherine was there. “They are former military, I know Duane isn’t, but if all the men from Broken are present, then they will treat this as a military mission.”
“That’s what I don’t understand,” Katherine said with an extremely confused look on her face. “Whatwould be a military mission?”
“Keeping you safe,” Julie said, and Erin agreed.
“One thing you need to know about my boyfriend, brother, and all the men they served with,” Erin began.
“Don’t forget the women,” Julie told her.
“Yes, I was getting to them.” She turned to Katherine. “Along with the men you saw in the barn?” At her nod, she continued, “Every single one of them is engaged or dating a woman that works over at Broken. Julie here included, except she works here with me, but except for Naomi Alcott and myself, everyone is former military.” She saw that Katherine was still confused and shook her head.
“Trust me on this. I had some trouble in the past, and the men weren’t here. The women were, though and we were able to handle our own. It was bad enough that the people that tried to take me out, and crumple my empire are now sitting in jail, without the possibility of bail, with at least eight felony charges, apiece, against them, until they get a court date. It’s been almost six months, and it looks like it might be another year or two before they go to trial. Everyone wants all their ducks in a row, and it’s just not the people after me here in Colorado. There are people over in Wyoming that were after Naomi, and they are in the same boat as the assholes that came after me. Sitting in jail with several felonies against them, awaiting trial. If I know the men, then they will be making plans on how to lock this place down. Oh, and Katherine,” Erin said sternly, and didn’t continue until she had all of the other woman’s attention.
“Yes?” No one said a word when she swallowed so hard that they all heard it.
“You willnotbe leaving this ranch until we know you are safe. There’s no way to get to The Broken Wheel Ranch unless you drive by here.” She turned to Caleb and smiled. “How hard is it to get to Broken from your office.”
“Hell,” Caleb sighed heavily and rubbed the back of his neck. “I have found that it’s easier to go out to the road, and comedown here to get to Broken.” He shook his head and looked at Katherine. “I have a car, not a truck, and the road isn’t put in yet, I’ve been driving a cow path. Trust me, you’ll be safe over at Broken.”
