Chapter 11

Ellie picked up her phone again even though she knew she’d had no calls. Cam had promised to call the moment he heard from his brother Colton. Damn, how long did it take someone to return a call, anyway?

She grimaced and opened her photos folder. It was incomprehensible why the pictures she’d taken of the house were all corrupted. Not a once of them was clear. They were all a blurry field of blue with splashes of light.

What the hell caused that? She’d emailed them to herself, opened them in Photoshop, and done everything she could think of to pull out an image. But there was nothing to pull out.

It made no sense at all. But then, neither did a whole lot of things in her life. Like the men who’d shot at her and Cam. He’d called the Sheriff’s department and reported it as soon as he’d gotten a signal on his phone but despite a two-hour search, no one had been found on the property.

That made Cam mad because it made him appear either a liar or someone who had spooked and jumped the gun. One of the officers had suggested that maybe it was just someone hunting illegally.

She and Cam both knew that wasn’t the case. She’d be willing to bet good money that the men worked for Simon Dansforth, just like the ones who beat her up. That burned her ass. She’d filed a report earlier in the day but Cam nor his superior held much hope that anything would come of it. Dansforth was just too wealthy and too well connected.

And that stuck in her craw something fierce. The law should be the law for all, the high, and the low. It was wrong for anyone to be exempt.

The longer she thought about it the madder it made her. So mad that before she knew it, she was snatching up her purse, cramming her phone in its side pocket and heading out of the apartment.

“Where ya going?” Lily called out as Ellie went to climb into her old truck.

“To see someone.”

Lily hurried over to her. “Ellie…”

“To see Simon Dansforth.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Well, I didn’t ask, did I?” She was sorry before the words were out of her mouth. “Lily, I’m sorry. I’m just…I’m going kind of nuts. All this…it’s…it’s beyond what I know and am comfortable with and I don’t seem to be able to make any headway figuring any of it out.”

“I know.” Lily reached out and took Ellie’s hand. “I do understand. I felt that way the first time I made fire.”

“Made fire?”

She could see the surprise on Lily’s face. “Cam didn’t tell you?”

“No. What?”

“Well,” Lily turned and tugged on Ellie’s hand. “Looks like it’s time you heard all the dirty little family secrets.”

Ellie almost protested, but curiosity and friendship won out and she let Lily lead her to the main house.

*****

“About time.” Cam said as soon as he answered his phone.

“And hello to you, too, little brother.” Colton’s voice came over the line.

Cam had always wished he sounded like Colton, that deep but low masculine tone that never failed to make people stop and listen. But then Cam had always idolized Colton.

Colton was almost eight years older than Cam and while Clint had always been there for Cam, the not-so-great difference in their ages had created some strife between them as they were growing up. Colton had been the one to either help them mend their fences or kick their butts when they couldn’t stop butting heads.

“Sorry. How you doing, bro?”

“Nothing to complain about, but that’s not why you called.”

“I…” Cam got up from his desk and wandered outside. He wasn’t keen on anyone in the department listening in on what he had to say. “We’ve got a little situation down here.”

“Define little situation.”

“Hold on.” Cam said as two other detectives exited the building.

“Lunch?” One of them asked.

“Naw, but thanks.” Cam replied and when the two headed on into the parking lot, he turned his attention back to the call. “Sorry.”

“What’s going on, Cam?”

“It’s…I don’t even know what it is, to be honest.”

“Then start at the beginning.”

“That might take a while.”

“I’ve got the time.”

Cam blew out his breath and headed for his truck. At least there he’d have privacy. “Okay, well, it started when our neighbor died, and his daughter showed up to move into his place.”

Colton laughed. “Why’d I know there was a woman involved?”

Cam scowled, opened his truck door, and climbed in. “So, like I said, it all started…”

*****

Ellie leaned back in her chair and stared across the table in amazement. “That is…well it’s freaky but so cool.”

Fire danced from the tip of Lily’s index finger. “Yeah, since Clint and I got together I’ve been practicing at controlling it.”

“So, you don’t accidentally set anyone on fire?” Ellie teased.

Lily laughed and closed her hand into a fist, extinguishing the flame. “Damn we got off on me and I dumped my whole life story on you.”

Ellie leaned forward and reached across the table for Lily’s hand. “I’m glad you did. It’s been a long time since I had a friend, and it means a lot that you’d trust me enough to tell me.”

“Same here, sister,” Lily gave Ellie’s hand a squeeze. “But back to you. Do you think there’s any truth to what Dansforth said? Could he be your grandfather?”

“I don’t know. Honestly, I don’t. My grandmother never breathed a word about it. Besides, if he really was wouldn’t he be more interested in me than my land?”

“You’d think.”

“Yeah. No, I think it has to do with this.” She reached up and touched her necklace. “And the house we found.”

“Now that’s strange.” Lily said and got up to get the pitcher of tea from the refrigerator. “Seriously strange. I mean not just the necklace which is kinda freaky the way the lights in it dance when you touch it, but the house. How the heck did he manage to do that without anyone knowing?”

“Or get all of the materials out there when there’s no road.”

“And what about that lake? You said Cam said it was a spring and it’s cold. That’s really unusual from what I know about this part of the state.” She finished filling the glasses and reclaimed her seat.

“It’s all unusual.”

“That it is. But changing topics…what about you and Cam?”

Ellie looked away for a moment. “What about us?”

“Girl, it doesn’t take a psychic to know that you’ve got it bad for each other. Ya’ll damn near shoot sparks every time you look at each other. Any actual sparking going on there?”

“Just a couple of times.”

“What? Holy shit, now there’s a first.”

“It’s…it’s like it’s just never the right time, you know? The house, the paintings, those men, Simon Dansforth. It’s one thing after another. To be honest I don’t know why he hasn’t decided I’m just too damn much work and told me to take a hike.”

“So am I.”

“Well thanks.”

“No, nothing on you Ellie. It’s just that Cam has never been this way with a woman. He’s always—oh my god. He’s in love with you!”

Ellie looked away again, unwilling to share that Cam had spoken those words to her. If he wanted his family to know, he would tell them. It wasn’t her place.

“That’s it!” Lily crowed. “Jesus H. Wait ‘till I tell Clint.”

“Tell Clint what?” Cam’s voice came from the doorway.

Lily jumped up and took her glass to the sink. “It’s about the Vanner. Excuse me.”

She hurried out of the house. Cam watched her go then looked at Ellie. “What was that all about?”

“Lily told me all about her and Clint—about your family moving away and how she connected with you again. And about the fire thing.”

“She told you all that?” Cam took a seat at the table beside her. “Well, she must think a lot of you. She’s not one to share.”

“We’re friends.” Ellie said.

Cam took her hand and kissed her knuckle. “I’m really glad of that.”

“Me too.”

“So, I talked to my brother, Colton.”

“And?”

“And he said he’d get in touch with Jed Nash and call us back.”

“How long do you think that’ll take?”

“I don’t know.”

“So, what do we do in the meantime?”

“Wait?”

Ellie grimaced. “I’m not so good at that.”

“Then what do you want to do.”

“I want to go back to the house. I want to be in it.”

“I still don’t know if that’s smart. Those men—”

“They couldn’t see us, Cam.”

“And that’s part of the problem. That isn’t natural, Ellie. Not by a long shot. I mean, how the heck can that happen, and is it safe to be somewhere that’s…hell I don’t even know what to call it. I just know it makes me nervous.”

“Fine.” She gave in. How could she not? He’d done so much for her, protected and cared for her, loved her. “Then what do you suggest we do?”

“I have a suggestion.”

Ellie and Cam both jumped at the sound of the voice. Lily was shoved into the room. One of the men who’d attacked Ellie, the smaller of the men, had one hand fisted in her hair and a gun in the other hand.

The second man who had a gun pointed at Clint’s back pushed Clint into the room.

“What do you want?” Cam asked, moving in front of Ellie.

“For starters, lose the gun,” the smaller man ordered.

Cam slowly removed his gun from the holster and placed it on the kitchen table. “Now what?”

“Now we tie these two up and you and the Whitehorse bitch take us to the treasure.”

“Treasure?” Cam asked.

“Don’t.” The big man spoke up. “I’d hate for someone to get hurt here.”

“I’ll go with you.” Ellie scooted around from behind Cam and when he made a grab for her, she shook him off. “No. I’m not letting anyone get hurt because of me. I’ll go with them.”

She looked at the men. “Tie them all up if you want. You don’t need them. You only need me.”

The men looked at one another and then at her. “No tricks,” the big man said. “One call and we can have someone here in ten minutes to blow their brains out.”

“No tricks,” she promised.

The big man gestured toward the door. “Okay, phones on the table. Now.”

One by one, Clint, Lily and placed their phones on the table. The big man gestured with his gun. “Outside. All of you.”

Ellie willed her limbs not to tremble as they were all herded outside and to the breeding barn. She sidled over to the table, scooped up a phone, and slid it into her pocket. Cam gave her a questioning look as she fell into step beside him and she mouthed, “trust me.”

If she could find a way to leave him with a phone, he could at least call for help once she left with the men.

The men lined Clint, Lily, and Cam up inside one of the stalls and hogtied them. Their wrists and ankles were lashed together and then lashed together.

Ellie eased the phone out of her pocket, knelt down beside Cam as he lay on his side, bowed back in discomfort. She kissed his cheek and as she did, she slid the phone beneath him.

“That’s enough.” The smaller man barked. “Let’s go.”

She stood and Cam nodded at her. Ellie looked at Lily and Lily gave her a wink. That made Ellie feel better. With Lily’s ability, she could burn her ropes and get Clint and Cam set free. And Cam could call for help.

“Move!” The man shouted at her, making her jump.

She turned and headed out of the barn, her stomach churning and her body shaking with fear. She’d wanted to go back to her property but now it was the last place she wanted to be. The men were looking for a treasure and she had nothing to show them. Chances were they’d kill her when that became evident.

Unless you lead them on a wild goose hunt. The thought almost made her smile. If she could convince them that the treasure was in the woods, maybe she could lose them and make it to the secret house.

She prayed she’d get the chance because as she saw it, it was the only one she had.

The minute the men left with Ellie, Lily spoke up. “I can burn the ropes.”

“Just don’t burn yourself in the process.” Clint quipped.

“Smart ass,” she replied.

A few seconds later, the odor of something burning reached Cam’s nose. “Hurry Lil,” he encouraged.

“Almost…there!” She scrambled into a sitting position, untied her feet, and then hurried to Cam with a “sorry hon” to Clint.

The moment Cam was free he dialed the department and reported an abduction. By the time the call ended, Clint was on his feet and the two of them bumped into one another trying to get out of the stall.

“I’m going with you,” Clint announced.

“Figured as much.”

“And so am I.” Lily hurried to keep up with them.

“I can’t let you—” Cam said over his shoulder.

“I didn’t ask. And besides, if the cops scream up in front of the house, those guys are liable to fire on them.”

“What does that have to do with you going?”

“I do have skills,” she pointed out. “And we don’t go by road. We take the horses and come in from the back.”

Cam looked at Clint and Clint cocked an eyebrow at him. “She makes a good point.”

“Damn sure does. Let’s do it.”

Without another word, they set to saddling the horses.