Sheriff Daddy (Montana Daddies Book 10) by Laylah Roberts (good book club books txt) 📗

. . would he be able to do it while she was hidden in a forest?

God, she hoped so.

Ed pulled up behind Jace’s truck and jumped out. His deputy turned away from where he’d been talking into his radio.

“Any signs of her?”

Jace shook his head. “I’ve searched inside the cabin and around. Whoever drove this truck here is gone and so is she. Just had the plates run. It belongs to a Trenton Strange. Comes from Idaho. Eighteen years old. Six feet tall. Hundred and eighty pounds. You know him?”

He shook his head. Trenton Strange? No idea. No wait . . .

He grabbed his phone and placed a call to Georgie’s brother, Marcus.

“What?” Marcus snapped down the phone.

“What was the name of the asshole that stalked Georgie?” Ed asked immediately.

“What? Why? He’s dead.”

“I know that. What was his name?”

“Gerald Strange.”

Fuck. Fuck.

“Did he have a kid called Trenton?”

“No, his son was called Malcolm. Why? What the fuck’s going on?” Marcus snapped.

“Your sister could be missing and the last place the GPS tracker pinged her location is at an old hunting cabin. Only thing here is a truck owned by a Trenton Strange.”

Marcuse started cursing. “I’m on my way out there.”

“It will take you hours to get here. No point.” He was finding her soon. He had to.

“Fuck that. I’m going to get my people looking into Trenton Strange. Get back to you.” Marcus hung up, but Ed didn’t care.

Shit. It was getting dark. They needed to find her quickly.

“Kent? It’s Ed. I need JSI’s help.”

“Rose, my pretty little Rose. Come out, come out. Wherever you are.”

Why wouldn’t he leave? It was now dark. She was freezing cold. And she was so tired of holding onto this branch. She was scratched up, bruised, and frankly scared. She wanted Ed. She wanted him now.

A cold wind whipped through the trees. It was eerie out here. Just listening to him calling for her and thrashing around. Obviously, he wasn’t used to being out in the woods, either.

Her teeth started to chatter. She clenched her jaw tight to stop the noise.

“Was that you, little Rose? Are you scared? If you come out then it will all be over. Ouch, fuck, motherfucking nature. You’re going to pay for every scratch on me, bitch.”

A howling noise echoed through the woods and she froze. Her heart thumped, racing then skipping a beat. She felt like she was going to be ill.

“What the fuck was that? Was that a fucking wolf? You know what, maybe you deserve to be eaten by a fucking wolf. I’m out of here.”

She heard him stomping away. Was he really leaving? Or was it a trick? She didn’t know. But then a howl sounded again. What if it wasn’t a trick? What if she just sat here and that wolf found her? Wolves couldn’t climb trees, right?

Right.

And Ed said she didn’t have to worry about bears. What was left to worry about? Snakes? Did snakes climb trees? She had a feeling snakes climbed trees.

They’re more scared of you than you are of them.

Oh Lord. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

Okay, that was it. She was going to take up swearing.

Another shiver worked through her. Then her calf knotted up in a cramp.

Shit! Fuck! That was so painful. She tried to keep the moans in, but she couldn’t. She groaned as she grasped her calf, trying to ease the agonizing pain. This is what she got for not stretching after running.

Like you could do that when you were fucking running for your life.

This swearing stuff was getting easier.

A louder groan erupted from her as she tried to ease the cramp. She panted heavily, her stomach rolled. Oh no, she was going to be sick. The branch beneath her began to shake. And then a hand grasped hold of her ankle.

It was like the stuff of nightmares. She screamed and kicked out, but the hand held on and she found herself yanked from the branch she’d been sitting on. Somehow, she managed to grab hold of it with both hands.

“Get down here, you bitch!”

“No!” she screamed. “Let me go!” She kicked out at him, gratified to hear him grunt in pain. Then he yanked harder and she screamed as it felt like her arms were being removed from their sockets.

Then suddenly, he was gone. There was a loud thumping noise and a gasp. What happened? Where did he go? Shit! She was dangling in the air, unable to hold herself up for much longer. She didn’t even know if she had the strength to pull herself up onto another branch.

Don’t give up now.

Where was he though? Was this a trick to get her out of the tree?

“Georgina?”

She froze. That wasn’t Trenton’s voice. This was a far deeper voice. There was an edge of calm and strength. She’d guess this person was older. But who was it? No one she knew.

“Who’s there? Who is it?”

“Name’s Jed. Work for JSI.”

Oh no. She couldn’t hold on for much longer.

“JSI? Jensen Security?”

“Yep. Your man called for help.”

“Ed? Ed’s here?”

“Sure is. Going out of his mind. Gonna get out of that tree?”

“I don’t know that I can. I’m b-barely hanging on.”

She wanted Ed. So bad. She wished he was here and not this Jed guy. Suddenly a large man was pressed up behind her. She let out a loud gasp. “How did you do that?”

“Do what? Climb a tree?”

“M-move so silently.”

He just grunted. Then without a word, his arm went around her waist and he pulled her towards him so her back was against his chest.

“Let go.”

He didn’t need to tell her twice. Thankfully, he managed to easily hold her weight as he stood on a branch.

“Turn you. Wrap yourself around me.”

Somehow, he twisted her so they were chest to chest. She got her arms around his neck but she had no strength left in them.

“Legs around me.”

Later, she might be embarrassed about being wrapped around him like a child. But right now, all she wanted was to get back