Panic shot his pulse through the roof.Where the hell was she?
He shot through the ground floor faster than a heat-seeking missile searching for its target, but came up empty.
Hudson raked a hand through his hair as he stood, dumbfounded, in the kitchen.“Are all the vehicles still here?”
Conrad was up and at the window in two seconds flat.“Looks like they are.”
“Which means she’s out there on foot.”
Shit.
Cassie.Where did you go?
After racking his brain for a few minutes, he knew.
Hudson grabbed his keys and bolted out the door before anyone could stop him.The second he stepped outside, a female figure caught his eye.She was moving through the thicket beyond the barn, staggering.
The back door swung open, the screen smacking against the wall as Conrad bolted out faster than a champion thoroughbred out of the starting gate.
“Conrad!”
All hope the female was Cassie died when he heard the voice.A different relief washed over him as he realized Nikki was alive and running toward them.
Hudson studied the area around her as Conrad picked up the pace, running toward the person he loved without regard for his own safety.
“Here,” Beau came up from behind and handed Hudson a shotgun.“Take this.”
“You’re just in time.”Hudson took the offering and aimed as he scanned the area searching for any signs of movement.Would Jarek be careless enough to follow Nikki out of the thicket?
If the man was anywhere near, he wasn’t shooting.Maybe he didn’t want to risk a murder charge.Someone like Jarek, who had a pilot’s license and access to a private airplane, could disappear across the border.He wanted Cassie.He wanted her alive.He wanted to hold her hostage, either to have her all to himself or to punish her for leaving him in the first place.The twisted sonofabitch wouldn’t get a chance if Hudson had anything to say about it.
Halfway across the distance to the barn, Nikki and Conrad reunited.Embraced.He quickly placed his arm around her and ushered her to the house.
“Did she escape or was she released?”Hudson asked, pausing for a moment as they approached.
“I escaped,” Nikki said.
“Was there any other female around?”Conrad asked, cluing in.Escaping versus being released could make a difference as to whether Jarek had Cassie.
Nikki gave a small headshake.
“She’s out there somewhere,” Conrad said.“Go find her.”
He waited until his brothers and sister-in-law were safely inside the house before making a beeline for a ranch vehicle.He chose one of the oldest, a beat-up pickup truck that was rarely used.After turning the key to start the engine, he checked the gas gauge.A full tank meant it was go time.
Without any idea how long ago Cassie had taken off, it was impossible to gauge how far she’d gotten.Her destination came to him in a rush.It was obvious now.She was going to check on the kid she believed to be her son.
And then what, Cassie?
The obvious answer would be to disappear.No way.He couldn’t let that happen.It wasn’t fair that she should be treated like a criminal, sent into hiding for making the simple mistake of getting involved with the wrong person.She’d tried to walk away, break free from Jarek.He stood in her way.
Hudson scanned the skies in search of low-flying aircraft that would tell him Jarek was searching for Cassie, too.The mountain lion still hadn’t been caught to his knowledge.Marcus had promised to send an update as soon as the animal was captured.The animal posed an additional threat to anyone alone in the woods.
Cassie had to be exhausted.She’d looked tired as hell last night.Even so, even though her problems were mountains, she’d still been more concerned with comforting Conrad than with her own safety.
Speeding away from the ranch, Hudson figured Cassie had left a short while after everyone had gone to bed.They’d been tired, and she would’ve correctly assumed that they’d pass out for a few hours.Enough time for her to be long gone before anyone checked on her.
Shit.