Rancher's Perfect Baby Rescue

Damned Devotees. Maria was right. They gave him the creeps.

“We’re just here asking for a small favor.” Jonathan sounded earnest. “Nothing that should upset you. One of our members has disappeared, and we were hoping you would let us look around. We’re worried about her.”

“What’s this person look like?”

“She’s in her late twenties with long brown hair. Nine months pregnant, she’s within days of having a child. In fact, the birth may have already taken place, and that means there’re two of our people who could need help. We’re planning on forming a formal search party in the morning.”

“Don’t bother searching the ranch.” Nathan practically spat at the fool. “We’ll keep an eye out. If anyone here runs across something odd, I’ll be sure to give you a call.” The Devotees could rot in hell before he ever lifted one finger to help them.

“But …” Jonathan acted like he seldom was refused anything.

Too bad. “I got your message. Now leave.”

“You’re not being very neighborly, Nathan. We only wanted …”

“Listen, Miller. If I see any of your people on our property, I’ll shoot first and ask questions later.” He folded his arms over his chest and took a threatening step forward. “Get out. And don’t come back.”

The two men turned and walked toward their car without another word. But Nathan had a feeling they weren’t about to give up.

He’d call Mac in another minute to escort these two bums off the property. He didn’t trust them. In fact, he seldom trusted anyone anymore. It was a hard-learned lesson, one he thought he’d learned well.

So why had one pretty woman who looked lost and alone been able to get under his skin so quickly? Ah, hell.

Regardless, he wanted that Devotee and her child off his ranch and out of his life today.

Chapter 3

Dressed in a borrowed robe while Maria washed her clothes and tried to mend the tears, Susannah awoke from a two-hour nap when a loud knock rapped on the bedroom door. Without waiting for an answer, Nathan banged the door open and came right inside.

“Shush,” she told him. “The baby’s still sleeping.”

He threw a guarded glance toward the basket sitting on his wide dresser top. “I see,” he said in a stage whisper. “But we’re going to have that talk now.”

His face was a mask of stern consternation—big trouble. However, she wouldn’t let him run over her. She’d done enough of that in her life. This time, her child was what mattered most.

Pulling the robe tighter around her, she carefully sat in the easy chair. “Talk, then. But quietly please.”

“I’m not talking. You are. Why’d you lie? And if you’re in with those damned Devotees, why didn’t you want them to find you?”

She could see the veins sticking out on his temple as his jaw tightened. He was furious. Her hands started shaking. She didn’t deal well with anger … never had.

Taking a deep breath, she tried to find a way to explain without making him madder. “Please calm down, Nathan. I’ll tell you the truth, why we left Cold Plains, and then Melody and I will leave the ranch. I promise I wasn’t trying to take anything from you. We just needed to rest. We were lost. Really.”

He drew a breath, too, sat at the edge of the bed like he had earlier and let his mouth relax. “Go on.”

“The part about my boyfriend kicking me to the curb when he learned about the baby is true. He did put me on the bus. But that was six months ago. When I ran out of money in the middle of nowhere, I thought I would end up as a street person.”

“While expecting a baby?”

“Yeah, that’s not such a great picture, is it? The thought scared me to death. But I got lucky for once when Samuel Grayson found me and brought me back to Cold Plains. He made a place for me. He gave me a job and somewhere to live. I’d never been treated so well in my entire life.”

Nathan’s expression turned hard again. “I can understand that he became like your safety net. I guess you had no choice. But why’d you stay?”

“Seriously? Have you seen the place recently? Everything is wonderful and clean. I’d never lived anywhere as colorful or where the people are so kind to perfect strangers. My life had been full of lots of gray and mostly rude people up to then. I loved it there.”

“Did you … did you become one of them?”

“Well, if you mean, did I take their seminars and try my best to be like them? You bet I did. Samuel Grayson is the most amazing person I’ve ever met. He can make you feel, well, like you’re somebody.”

A tick appeared at the side of Nathan’s mouth when she’d mentioned Samuel. “If you love him and his kind so much, why’d you leave?”

All of a sudden it occurred to her what she’d been feeling during this whole conversation—trust … for Nathan. She barely knew the man but felt sure he would not hurt her or turn her over to the Devotees if she told the whole truth. It was weird to trust someone this quickly, but she went with it.

“Melody. She’s the reason we left.” Her eyes started to fill again, but she fought the waterworks. “My friend, the midwife named May Frommer, told me all about the rumors and made me see the light. She helped us get away.”

“I know May. She’s a local. What rumors?”

“About how babies who aren’t perfect don’t last long in Cold Plains. Look at Melody. She’s wonderful and I love her beyond measure, but she isn’t perfect.”

Sniffling again, she tried to steady her voice. “Have you heard the rumor that Devotees may be stealing children who aren’t perfect and selling them? May says so. May also mentioned a basement place where anybody who isn’t totally perfect is kept hidden. Do you think that’s true?”

“I’d believe anything about those creeps. But are you telling me that because your daughter has a simple birthmark you think she’s less than perfect?”

“Not me. I think she’s terrific. But, well, I couldn’t take a chance that the rumors are true. Could I?”

“Suppose not. So you’ve given up on Samuel Grayson and his philosophy, then?”

“Oh, no. I’m sure Samuel can’t know about any of this. It must be a few bad people in the Devotees who are using the group as a cover for doing terrible things. And, besides, what’s wrong with believing you can become the best you?”

Nathan stood and started pacing the room. “How soon can you get the baby ready to leave? I want you out of here by nightfall.”

The bedroom door opened wider at that moment, and Maria stepped into the room. “I heard that, Nathan. What’s wrong with you? These two can’t leave the ranch yet. Where’re your manners? The child is still not healthy. Something’s wrong with her, and she needs a doctor. And also there’s at least one cut on Susannah that requires stitching.”

Nathan ran his hands through his hair. “Hell. Why can’t you sew her up? You take care of the rest of us and our little cuts and bumps on the ranch just fine.”

“Nothing I’ve tried has helped the baby. She needs a doctor.”

“Who’re we gonna call?” He sounded frustrated, and his voice was growing louder. “Old Doc Jones quit making rounds through Cold Plains a year ago. And don’t say you’ll call one of those Devotee people to come out. Not on this ranch.”

Susannah’s whole body grew tense. “No, please. No doctors.”

Maria came over and bent to smooth a hand over her hair. “There’s a new man, sugar. Just came to town a while back. Don’t know it for a fact, but local people claim he doesn’t belong to the group. He’s supposed to be a good doctor without ties to them. Or at least he don’t spout that crud like the rest. I think we need to try. For Melody’s sake.”

She wasn’t thrilled to hear Maria bad-mouthing the Devotees’ philosophy. What was so wrong with becoming a great new person? But the idea that her daughter needed medical attention was the central most important thing to her right now.

Looking to Nathan, Susannah pleaded, “Please help my baby. I know you won’t let any of the Devotees take her from me. But Melody needs a doctor. We have to call this new man now.”

“I’ll call. But afterward, you remember what I said.”