Page 18 of Rush Turner (Seals on Fraiser Mountain #6)
Willa
I wasn’t supposed to be out here. Technically, I was on my way back from dropping off fresh eggs for Aunt Marie when I spotted him.
A black SUV was parked just down the lane where the trees hang low enough to hide trouble.
I knew every vehicle in this town. I did not know that one.
And the man leaning on the hood, half-shadowed under the branches, watching Jessa’s farmhouse like he owned the dirt under his boots?
I didn’t like the look of him one bit.
I ducked behind a fence post, heart thumping so loud I swore he could hear it. I pulled out my phone and hit Rush’s number first.
Rush
I’d just stepped outside to make sure the goats hadn’t busted the gate again when my phone buzzed in my pocket. Willa’s name. She never called unless something was wrong.
“Rush, don’t talk, just listen,” she hissed the second I answered. “There’s a man sitting in a black SUV down the lane by the big sycamore. He’s watching the farm. He gives me the creeps—like really the creeps. I’m ninety-nine percent sure this is your girl’s bad news come to life.”
I didn’t ask questions. “Where are you now?”
“Hiding behind your neighbor’s fence. Do you want me to ask him what he’s doing?”
“Hell no. Stay put. I’m coming. And Willa—call Nate too. He’s closer than the sheriff.”
“Already ringing him,” she said, and hung up.
I glanced at the house. Jessa was inside feeding the kids dinner, probably fussing about them not eating all of their food, having no idea that the stalker who should still be in jail was a hundred yards away.
Not on my damn watch.
Willa
Nate picked up on the first ring.
“Hey, sweetheart, what’s wrong?”
“Hey darlin. There’s a creep in a black SUV watching Jessa’s place. Rush is on his way. I want you on your way too. Bring that Navy SEAL attitude you like to scare people with.”
There was a pause. Then Nate’s voice dropped low and dangerous.
“I’m five minutes out. Stay hidden, Willa. Do not let him see you.”
“Yes,” sweetie, I muttered, but my hand was already tight on a rock just in case.
Rush
I came around the back of the lane so Kyle wouldn’t see me. Nate’s truck rumbled up beside me as I was walking. He climbed out, sleeves rolled, sunglasses hiding eyes I knew were already promising violence.
“Willa said you got a stalker problem,” Nate said, calm as a bomb about to go off.
I jerked my chin at the SUV. “That’s him. Kyle. He’s been blowing up Jessa’s phone with threats. I want him off this road today.”
Nate cracked his knuckles. “You want him upright or on his face?”
“Let’s start politely. If he spits on polite, we’ll see what happens next.”
We moved down the lane toward Kyle—slow, quiet, certain.
Kyle didn’t even see us; he was so intent on the farmhouse. Not until I rapped my knuckles on his window. He jumped like he’d touched a live wire.
“Well, look who crawled out from under a rock,” I said, voice steady but my blood running fire-hot.
He sneered, trying to hide the twitch in his eye. “If you attack me, I will have you arrested. My Dad hired a lawyer, and he will go after you.”
I laughed, and then I pinned him against his car.
“You listen to me you mother fucker, I will bury you so deep your daddy will never find you.
I told you to stay away from this family, and I meant it.
I grabbed the zip tie, and his hands were zip-tied before he knew what was going on.
Your obsession with this little girl just got you shipped out of here.
I threw him in the back of his SUV and looked at Nate. “I’m taking him to Gonzales; he might need another deck hand.”
“What are you going to do with his vehicle?”
“Gonzales can have his car too.”
“I’ll follow you and give you a ride back,” Nate said.
“No, stop, you can’t do this. I love her; she belongs to me. I won’t let anyone have her. If I can’t have her, then I’ll kill both of us.”
“She’s a fifteen-year-old girl who you have scared to death.” I looked in Nate’s truck, grabbed some tape, taped his mouth shut, and then zip-tied his feet.
“Damn, he is crazy. What if he finds a way back?” Nate asked.
“I’ll tell Gonzales to make sure he never finds his way back.”