Enemy Infiltration

“Of course not.” Lana bit her lower lip. That made no sense. “Did you get a look at the men?”

“They had masks on.” Carla formed her fingers into circles and put them over her eyes. “Like when you go skiing and it’s really cold.”

Daniel had been patting Lana on the back, so Lana squeezed him tighter. “Are you okay, Daniel? You’re very brave, too.”

She didn’t want to play favorites.

“They didn’t say gerbil, Carla.”

“What, sweetie?” Taking Daniel’s hand, Lana sat back on her heels. “You didn’t hear gerbil?”

“They didn’t say, where’s the gerbil? They said, where’s the journal? They hit Mama on the face and said, ‘Give us the journal, bitch.’”

Chapter Four (#uf9734869-8837-5da3-be05-11cedae5d921)

As the sirens wailed their approach, Lana shoved open the gate and pulled her jacket tighter, the gun heavy in her pocket. She’d left Carla and Daniel with a few of the ranch hands at her house. The kids had been afraid to go back to their own house, and she’d been afraid to leave them alone at hers.

And after Daniel’s insistence that the word gerbil Carla heard was actually journal, she’d just been afraid.

She’d tried calling Bruce a few more times, but he’d gone radio silent—probably on one of his own benders, which involved gambling as opposed to drinking—not the best environment for the children.

When the squad cars’ lights illuminated the road to the ranch, Lana stood in front of the gate and waved her arms over her head.

She ran to the driver’s-side door of the first car to roll through the gate. “The house is up ahead. I’ll meet you there.”

“I’m Officer Jacobs. You’re Lana Moreno, right? Why don’t you hop in and tell me what’s going on?”

Lana scurried in front of the police car, squinting against the lights and keeping her jacket close to her body so the officer wouldn’t see her gun. She slid into the passenger seat.

“There’s been a kidnapping, Dale McGowan, the owner of the ranch.”

“I know the McGowans. Was Mr. McGowan present?”

“Bruce is out. I haven’t been able to reach him yet.”

Jacobs nodded, his jaw tight.

He probably knew Bruce from a few domestic violence calls they’d received—from Bruce. Dale had been known to throw a vase or two in a drunken rage, and while Bruce didn’t want to air their dirty laundry in public, he also didn’t want to be caught with his pants down if Dale ever did sue him for divorce. He’d wanted to have some ammunition ready in case that day ever came.

Maybe now it never would.

Hunching her shoulders, Lana hugged herself. All because someone was looking for Gil’s journal.

“The kids okay?”

“They’re fine. They hid, although the…kidnappers never made any effort to search the rest of the house for any other family members.”

“Maybe they knew Mr. McGowan was out, and they didn’t want to harm the children.”

“Maybe.” Lana slid a sideways glance at the officer. He’d already landed on his first suspect—the husband. She wouldn’t put it past Bruce to get rid of Dale to avoid the alimony, but not over a missing journal.

As they reached the house, the other squad car pulled up beside them and another car roared in behind them. Jacobs exited his vehicle, his hand hovering over his service revolver on his hip as he turned to face the headlights of the oncoming car.

Lana blew out a breath when the little rental squealed to a stop. “It’s okay. He’s a friend of mine.”

Logan bolted from the car and swooped toward her. “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine. Dale McGowan’s been kidnapped.” She leaned toward Logan. “How’d you know about this?”

“I was in the lobby bar of my hotel and word spread like wildfire that there was trouble at the McGowan ranch.” He took both of her hands. “I’m sorry for Mrs. McGowan, but I’m glad it’s not you.”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself.”

Logan squeezed her hands. “What does that mean?”

“Stop! Don’t come any closer.” The officer’s voice cut through their conversation.

Lana spun around to see the ranch hands, Humberto and Leggy, frozen in the white spotlight from the squad car, the kids clamped in front of them.

She disentangled her hands from Logan’s. “These two men are with the ranch. I left them with the McGowan children at my house.”

Both officers approached the ranch hands and when they’d determined the men knew nothing beyond what she’d told them, they dismissed them.

Jacobs cupped his hand and gestured toward her. “Lana, take the kids into the house and sit with them while we question them. Someone was able to reach their father, and he’s on his way.”

Taking a step back, she grabbed Logan’s sleeve. “I need my friend with me, too.”

As she and Logan followed the officers and the kids to the McGowan house, Logan dipped his head to hers and whispered in her ear, “What’s going on? Do you have something more to tell me?”

“Daniel, the boy, said the kidnappers were asking his mother about a journal.”

Logan cursed softly. “Do the police know any of this yet?”

“Not yet, but I’m gonna give ’em an earful.”

The officers gently led Carla and Daniel through an account of what they heard and saw.

Lana gave the kids encouraging smiles as her attention bounced between them and Logan as he wandered around the living room. He sauntered to the grand piano and picked up a framed photograph of Dale McGowan.

He slowly turned toward her, clutching the picture in his hands. He pointed at her and then pointed to the picture of Dale, who could’ve been her sister.

Lana nodded. Her resemblance to Dale had come in handy more than once.

When Daniel got to his part of the story, correcting Carla about the word the kidnappers were repeating, Lana cleared her throat.

Officer Jacobs glanced up. “Do you have something to add, Lana?”

“I—I think I know what might have happened.” She twisted her fingers in front of her. How crazy was this going to sound? “I’m expecting a journal from my brother. H-he died overseas recently. If you know Dale McGowan, you know we look alike. I’m thinking this is a case of mistaken identity and Dale’s kidnappers were really after me…and my brother’s journal.”