The Cowgirl's Little Secret(32)

       
           



       

"Good."

The other man flipped up the collar of his coat and tilted his head toward the house. "It's colder than a two-dollar whore's heart out here. Let's get inside."

* * *

After the team leaders cleared out, Jolie returned to the kitchen and went through the motions of helping Miz Beth and Cassie. She needed to do something-had to do something to keep from going crazy. She mindlessly shoved cups and plates into the dishwasher, all the while listening to the radio traffic in the next room. The news wasn't good. The snow had come too late to show any tracks CJ might have left and the wind was playing havoc with the tracking dogs.

Where would CJ have gone? He'd only been out here to the ranch a few times-to swim in the heated pool, to ride horses in the corral, to play in the barn. He'd have told her if he had a special place out here. Wouldn't he? She dropped the coffee mug in her hand and ran into the other room. Cord wasn't there. Her father looked up, a question in his eyes.

"Where's Cord?"

He stepped into the room. "I'm here, Jolie. What's wrong?"

"CJ. Did he have a special place here?"

Cord's forehead furrowed in thought. "Like what? A hidey-hole? I mean, he has his room. He liked to play in the hayloft of the barn. The pool."

Her breath-and her enthusiasm-whooshed out in a sigh of disappointment. "Oh." She wrapped her arms across her chest to hide her shivers. "I just... I don't know. I thought maybe..."

"Maybe what?" Cord walked up to her, his expression grave.

"I thought there might be someplace he liked to go." She swiped her hair off her forehead and muttered, "Never mind," before retreating back to the kitchen. The babble in the dining room overwhelmed her. She couldn't understand all the radio messages, and trying to decipher them gave her a headache. Coffee. She'd get some coffee. Or maybe hot tea. She was numb, but cold leached into her very bones. As though it would rob her little boy of his heat, and maybe his life. A hard shiver stomped down her spine, kicking each one of her vertebrae until she just wanted to curl up in the fetal position.

"Hang on, baby. Hang on for Mommy."

* * *

Cord wanted to follow her, but the need to listen to the radio, to know exactly what was happening, held him frozen. He twisted around to look out the window, pressing his forehead against the cold glass. The gentle swells of the nearest pasture undulated like frozen waves. A dark line of trees loomed beyond the red barn. He stared but didn't see the snow-dusted landscape. Was Jolie on to something? She knew their little boy better than he did-at least for now. His mind replayed everything he and CJ had ever done here at the ranch.

They'd taken ATV rides. Fished in the lake. He quit breathing for a minute. Surely CJ wouldn't have gone to the lake, not when it was so cold outside. Whipping his head around, he yelled over to Bridger, who was working the radio communications. "The lake! Has anyone checked the lake?"

"First thing, Cord. There's no sign of him there. No tracks. And the mud wouldn't have frozen until this morning. The search party would see any prints if he'd gotten close to the water."

He breathed through the momentary panic. This wasn't helping. He felt sick inside. Looking up, he saw her in the doorway to the kitchen. She looked wrung out but he figured he didn't look much better.

"Miz Beth made tea. Do you want some?"

He walked over to her and gathered her into his arms. "Not thirsty, sunshine."

"I hate your father." Her words were muffled against his chest.

"Makes two of us."

"I'm sorry, Cord. For keeping CJ a secret. For fighting you. I've been so...scared. Of losing CJ because he might love you more than me."

"No, baby. That wouldn't happen. I want to be his dad. I want us to be a family. I don't want to take him away. Shh. S'okay. No more secrets, sunshine. Never again. Not between us." Her sob was also muffled in his shirt, but he felt the shudders racking through her. He held her, absorbed her fear and sorrow as she cried, and he shed a few tears of his own. He hadn't cried since his mother died. Or Helen, when she was killed by that drunk driver. The old man yelled when they cried. Called them weak. He had a place he'd run away to...                       
       
           



       

"Ah, crap!"

Jolie startled in his arms and he turned her loose. "Cord?"

"The caves. Why didn't I think of that?" If he'd been sitting at a desk he would have banged his head on it.

"Caves?"

"There are some caves in the hills down by the river. I used to go there. CJ and I rode out there one time. I told him about exploring them when I was a kid."

"Tell Bridger. Call one of the teams."

"The teams can't get to him. The terrain is too rugged for the ATVs. I'll have to ride."

"Ride?"

"Horseback. It's the quickest way to get there."

"I'm coming with you." She jutted her chin and her eyes flashed.

Cord dropped a soft kiss on her mouth. Seemed the Davis family was just as stubborn as the Barrons. "Put on warm clothes. Miz Beth will find some for you. I'll go saddle the horses."

* * *

They rode for twenty minutes, the north wind nipping and biting every inch of exposed flesh. Sleet pinged off their heavy coats and clung to the manes and hides of the horses. Even the animals seemed to be shivering despite their thick winter coats. They were ranch stock, bred to work. They weren't the hothouse purebloods Kaden used in the breeding program. They crossed terrain marked with steep arroyos with crumbling red dirt sides. They skirted rocky outcroppings and pushed through scrub brush thick enough that an ATV would have no chance. As they rode toward the river and the rocky hills where Cord's cave was located, he and Jolie took turns calling CJ's name.

He glanced over at her but couldn't see much of her face besides her eyes. He lowered his muffler. "Can I ask you something?"

Jolie turned her head to watch him. "I guess so?"

"Do you trust me?"

"What? Where'd that come from?"

"I need to know, Jolie. Do you trust me? With taking care of CJ? With taking care of...you?" She didn't answer and the wind kicked up again but he didn't pull the muffler up. "I need to know, baby. I need to know if there's any hope for us, and if you don't trust me, if you believe that I could do to our son-to you-what my father did..." He swallowed hard, choking back his anger. "Do you believe I'm like the old man?"

"Oh, God, no, Cord! You aren't like him."

"But..." He stared at her when she wouldn't look at him.

"Deep down, no, I didn't believe you would take CJ-not that way. But last night, when I got that call, I was scared. Terrified."

"So you don't trust me."

"That's not what I said." Real heat singed her voice. "Why are you asking me this stuff?"

"I need to know if we have a chance."

A bark echoed before she could reply. Cord stood up in his stirrups and let loose with a shrill whistle. Excited barking answered him. "Dusty!" He reined his horse around and headed toward a rocky hill at a canter. Jolie quickly caught up. Cord whistled again, and the barks sounded closer. A flash of black-and-white caught his eye. He pointed toward the dog racing their direction. "There! It is Dusty." He kicked his horse into a full gallop, Jolie's horse following.

They met the dog at the base of the hill, sliding their horses to a stop with a sharp pull on the reins. Cord swung out of the saddle with a grace born of practice and called Dusty to him. He ruffled the dog's ears and fur. "Where's CJ? Is he with you?" He studied the hillside, then cupped his hands and yelled, "CJ? Are you here?"

Jolie's voice joined in. "CJ? Mommy and Daddy are here! Where are you?"

"Mommy?" A thin, wavering voice floated down. "Daddy?"

Dusty barked and charged up the hill, Cord fast on his heels. "Stay there, Jolie. I'll bring him down. I promise."

Cord found CJ tucked back into a shallow cave, wrapped in a thin blanket. "C'mon, bubba. Time to go home." CJ leaped into his arms, and Cord simply held his son for a long moment.

CJ wrapped his arms around Cord's neck, his legs around his waist. With careful haste, aware of the terrain and prancing dog both waiting to trip him, Cord clamored down the hill. Jolie had dismounted, and she grabbed CJ from him, kissing and hugging the boy. Cord pulled the two-way radio from his saddle pack.                       
       
           



       

"Bridger, this is Cord. Can you read me?"

"Loud and clear, Cord."

"We have him." Cheers erupted on Bridger's end. "He's cold and hungry. We'll be back in about thirty."

"There will be an ambulance standing by. Safe trip, Cord. And good news, cuz!"

* * *

The doctors at Children's Hospital gave CJ a clean bill of health but wanted to keep him overnight for observation. Almost the entire family had trooped through, leaving stuffed animals, balloons and candy behind. When things finally calmed down, and Cord and Jolie were left alone in the hospital room, he asked the question Jolie had avoided thinking about since they'd found CJ.