Page 49 of The Cattleman’s Unforgettable Love: Ford and Amelia (MacFarland Ranch #11)

When they arrived at the airport, Cash brought the SUV to a stop outside Terminal B.

“You guys jump out and get started,” he said. “I'll go and park this and find you.”

Ford gave Hunter a gentle shake, and the kid sat bolt upright, his eyes open wide, filled with panic for a moment.

“It’s okay,” Amelia told him. “You’re with us now; do you remember?”

Ford was amazed to feel the kid relax when he heard her voice. He smiled at her and nodded, then looked up at Ford as he asked, “Did we find her?”

“Not yet, little buddy. But we will.”

“Did she ever say anything to you about the airport?” Amelia asked.

Hunter frowned. “No.” He stared into space for a few moments before continuing. “But you know what? She might be here. It was really noisy in the background when she called me last time – like there were a lot of people around.”

He looked out the window. “You think she might be here?”

“I hope so,” said Amelia.

“A couple of friends of ours are already here looking for her,” said Ford.

Hunter frowned. “But do they know what she looks like?”

“I sent them a photo of her ID that I found online,” said Amelia. “But that’s from a couple of years ago.”

Ford let go of the kid when he started to wriggle around on his lap – then caught him again when he almost slid off.

“What do you need, Hunter?” he asked.

The kid was grabbing his foot – and Ford’s chest tightened when he understood what he was doing. Amelia and the others still looked puzzled, but Wade gave Ford a knowing look.

A moment later, Hunter pulled a little wad of papers out of his shoe and rifled through them quickly before holding up a passport-size photo. In it, he was smiling – and so was the girl beside him. A girl who did indeed look a lot like Amelia and was just a couple of years older than Hunter.

“This is from the last time we saw each other,” Hunter said, holding it out to Amelia. “Can you send it to them?”

Amelia was already taking a photograph of it with her phone. A few moments later, she looked up – and Ford’s phone buzzed in his pocket. Wade, Ty, and Cash all reached for their phones, too.

“I sent it to everyone,” said Amelia.

“Good work, honey,” said Cash. “You guys need to jump out. I’m going to have to move this thing.”

Ford looked in the side mirror and could see an airport security guard walking up and down the line of waiting cars.

Ty and Wade climbed out on the curb side, and Hunter scrambled from Ford’s lap to follow Wade.

“Are you okay, Lil’ Bit?” he asked Amelia.

But she was already on her way out the door on his other side.

“Let me know where you are,” said Cash. “I'll go park this and catch up with you.”

When they entered the crowded concourse, Hunter grabbed hold of Amelia’s hand and cowered closer to Ford. They exchanged a glance over the top of his head. Amelia looked heartbroken – and Ford was almost overcome by a surge of anger. He wanted to tear apart anyone who’d ever scared the boy.

“Are you all right?” Amelia asked.

Hunter nodded rapidly. “I'm okay. We need to find Nat. It’s just…” He glanced up at Ford. “I’m not a wuss. I just don’t like crowded places.”

Ford rested his hand on the kid’s shoulder. “I know you’re not – I don’t like crowded places either.”

Ty came back to where they’d stopped.

“Ace says he’s found some kids – and he thinks they know her.”

“Where is he?” asked Ford.

Ty pointed. “Right down at the end of the concourse; let’s get going.”

Wade looked up from his own phone. “I’ll keep Cash up to date on where we are.”

The pair of them started walking, and Ford looked down at Hunter.

“Do you want us to hang back and take it slower, or do you want your first riding lesson?” he asked.

Hunter gave him a puzzled look. “I don’t want to go slow. We have to find her. But… I don’t know what you mean.”

Ford smiled. “Your new cousin Ashton says I’m pretty good at piggyback rides.” He patted his shoulders. “Want to hop up and see if he’s right?”

Hunter glanced up at Amelia, and she nodded. “It’ll save you walking,” she said. “And these guys are hard to keep up with.”

The kid turned back to Ford. “Okay.”

But Ford could tell he was nervous. “I promise – you’re safe with me,” he told him as he crouched down.

Hunter climbed onto his shoulders, knocking his hat off as he did.

Ford smiled as he reached out and put it on Amelia’s head when he straightened up.

His smile faded again when he registered just how little Hunter weighed.

He promised himself that when they got them back to the ranch, he was going to feed the kid up – and his sister.

Wade looked back over his shoulder and beckoned for them to catch up. Ford clamped Hunter’s legs tight to him – no way was he going to let him fall – and he and Amelia hurried after the others.

~ ~ ~

Amelia’s heart leapt into her throat when she spotted Ace. She was already out of breath from half running to keep up with the guys as they strode through the busy concourse. Although as she looked around, she realized it was far less busy here.

“Any sign of her?” Ty called.

Ace shrugged. “There’s a bunch of kids back there. Emmett’s talking to them now. They said there are a few places where they all hang out. They move on when security notices them.”

Amelia stared at him. “Are you telling me they’re all homeless?”

“I think maybe some of them are. They’re hedgy about it, but I’d guess that some of them just come here to hang out instead of going to school.”

She wanted to point out that at this time on a Sunday evening, none of them would be at school anyway – but that wasn’t the point.

Hunter leaned down so that he could see Ford’s face and asked, “Can we go see them? Or maybe I should go by myself. Maybe they’ll talk to me if I tell them she’s my sister?”

Amelia could tell that Ford wanted to tell him no – and she knew why. He wanted to keep the boy safe. But Hunter was probably right – he’d stand more of a chance of getting the kids to talk to him.

When she nodded at Ford, he crouched down, and Hunter scrambled off his shoulders. He looked up at her and said, “I’ll be fine. Big kids pick on me because they don’t see me as a threat.”

She tried to keep her expression neutral, not wanting him to see how his words broke her heart. Ford, on the other hand, didn’t even attempt to hide his anger.

Hunter gave him a small smile and said, “It’s okay. I’m used to it. It even comes in handy sometimes. I’m going to go talk to them, okay?”

She could see the pulse ticking in Ford’s temple as he nodded.

She said, “Okay – but we’re right here.”

Ford gave the boy his phone, saying, “Here. Take this with you. You can unlock it with 1234. Amelia’s number and everyone else’s are in the contacts.”

Hunter took the phone and headed toward the door that Ace had emerged from.

“I’m going to follow him,” said Ty. “They won’t know that I’m with him – or with Emmett, for that matter.”

Amelia nodded, his words making her realize that there was no reason for any of them to wait here.

Ford seemed to have had the same realization, and he caught her hand and strode forward.

As she trotted along at his side, needing two steps for each of his, he gave her a wry smile and said, “When we have them both safe and at home back at the ranch, then you can give me shit about my PIN number, okay?”

She shook her head, amazed that he could make her smile in a situation like this. “Deal,” she said. “I may need to give you a few lessons in phone and computer security.”

“I’ll be happy to trade you for riding lessons. How about that?”

She wanted to think about Hunter and Natalie learning to ride. Wanted to imagine them settling into life in Montana – a life that couldn’t be further removed from the one they’d known until now.

But first, they had to find Natalie.

As they pushed through the doors at the end of the hallway, her stride faltered. She could see Emmett, standing talking to two boys a little further down – and beyond them, Hunter had reached a larger group of boys.

And one of them had just pushed him.

Ford yelled and broke into a run.

Amelia could only watch as the boy pushed Hunter again – this time hard enough to knock him down.

Everything felt as though it moved in slow motion.

Wade and Ty were running. Emmett had caught one of the boys he was talking to by the collar while the other fled.

And Ace had grabbed another boy, who Amelia hadn’t even noticed until now.

Her hand came up to cover her heart as she watched Ford reach Hunter and scoop him up off the ground.

To her amazement, the boy was smiling as Ford hugged him to his chest – even though Ford looked ready to kill.

She gasped when she saw another small figure wearing a hoodie appear from behind a vending machine further down the corridor – at first, she thought it was a smaller boy – who stuck their foot out to trip the one who’d pushed Hunter.

But when the child leapt on her victim and started to punch him, her hood came down, revealing long, dark hair.

It was Natalie.

Amelia finally came to her senses and started running toward them all from the spot where she’d been frozen, taking it all in.

Even as she ran, Cash appeared out of nowhere.

He hauled Natalie off her victim, dodging her flailing fists and giving the boy on the ground a not-so-gentle nudge with his boot. The kid got up and fled.

“Don’t hurt her! It’s Nat!” Hunter yelled.

Cash gave them a grim smile as he reached them, half carrying, half dragging Natalie with him. For her part, Natalie was shouting and scrabbling at him, trying to free herself.

“It’s okay, Nat,” called Hunter. “It’s okay. They’re with us. I found Auntie Amelia!”

Natalie froze – and for a second, Amelia hoped that she might react the same way Hunter had.

Her hopes were dashed when Natalie glared at her and yelled, “We’re not going anywhere with you!”