Whatever It Takes (2 page)

“You know they still do cement shoes, right?” she said.

“Do they?” I thought she was fucking with me. I was wrong.

“Yes, I just saw last week that they pulled a body from the Chicago River. Well the remnants anyway, and it had the boots in cement. Of course, there were no clues on the body, but it’s not unheard of even in today’s crime rings.”

“For some reason, I thought that was just in the movies,” I admitted. That shit didn’t seem believable to me.

“That’s because you were sheltered in the best of ways,” she said, patting my cheek. I loved her like a second mother. When I had both her and my mother around, I got yelled at for working too hard while they spoiled me like I was a little kid.

“I guess you’re right.” I’d been taken care of by loving, happy parents. We grew up with a perfect family. My brother and I were opposites, but we grew up with the same morals.

“Have faith, William. She seems very strong.” She patted him on the shoulder. Coughing down the hall, Laura turned and gave him a wink. He gave a quick chuckle before turning to look at the closed door.

What possessed me to put her in my room?
There were other available rooms in the house. Maybe it was just a habit. I knocked on the door, but she didn’t answer. Not that I expected her to anyway, but it was worth a try. Stepping into the room, I had no idea how affected I would be. Her body lay there covered in bandages and bruises and fury coated my body like a sheen of sweat.

I walked even closer to the bed, looking down at the beauty hidden behind the pain. The feelings coursing through me had a surprising effect. I rushed from the room to catch my breath and hide the huge tent in my jeans. For the first time in a long time, I had more than a semi-erection. I was fully vested. I felt the heat invade my body and perspiration run down my back. My head was completely confused. I had to get out of the house and into the cold night air.

“Hey, boss. How’s it going? You came out of there in a panic.”

“Doing fine, Mateo. I’m just on edge tonight. I hope that he doesn’t realize she’s here.”

“Even if he did, we’d put a bullet in his head for trespassing.”

“Thanks.”

“As a friend, I have to ask. Will, you like her, don’t you?” He stared at me, worry written all over his face. I couldn’t blame him. I wanted a near-dead married woman whose husband was a mobster and her attacker. It was all kinds of fucked up, but even this morning, I knew something about her called to me. It demanded I find her. Now, I wouldn’t let a soul take her from me.

“Yes, Mateo. I’m afraid for the first time in my life, I may have met the one.”

“Well, that’s not good, but let me tell you, boss man. She’s beautiful. Even broken, she’s gorgeous, but remember that she comes with a shitload of problems.”

“Yeah, that’s something I can’t forget.”

“We’ll stand by you. Hell, this whole community will. I know your brother would have his boys keep them at bay.”

“I don’t want anybody else involved that doesn’t have to be.” It was dangerous enough for those on the ranch. Not that they could get past the gates, but they could come after anyone entering or leaving. My family needed to stay away before Santini came after them.

“Ha. I’m betting your family will be visiting soon. They usually stay a few days giving Laura some time off.”

“I’m going to have to call them and stave them off for a while.”

“Well, don’t change your routine too much. They’ll be onto you then. People in small towns talk, even by accident.”

After checking on the animals and making sure all the pens were locked, I talked to my men.

“Fellas, I need y’all to stay away from the perimeter. I don’t think they’ll come here, but just in case, I don’t want you to get close to the edges. The security fences will alert us. Any questions?”

“Can we shoot on sight?”

“They have to be on the property.”

“Noted,” Davy said with a smile. He’d been in the armed forces for a decade, but a bomb sidelined him, leaving him without half his leg. The man had some hard times but did what he had to do to become functional again. It was good to see the light in his eyes. Even if it were put there at the thought of killing some motherfuckers, but I guess not everyone can change their spots.

“Crazy motherfucker,” I called him. He just chuckled with a shrug of his shoulders.

I turned back to the house and made my way to the bedroom next to mine. Sleep didn’t come easily to me, but I had to get some rest. Mateo was right; I couldn’t deviate from my routine, or he’d learn of Ana’s whereabouts somehow. I would pick up some supplies tomorrow for my sick housekeeper. That would be my excuse to go into town and learn anything I could about that bastard.

I checked on her several times throughout the night, and my sweet housekeeper kept a vigil at her side. She told me to go to bed a couple times, but I responded by repeating the same thing. I tried to stay in bed, but it was hard. Eventually, fatigue won over, and it was sunny when I made it out of bed the next time.

After getting dressed the next morning, I checked in on her. Laura was passed out on the couch I had in there. Ana was groggy but awake. Her eyes were fuzzy, yet she knew I was there. “Hello, Ana. How are you?”

“That’s my name?” she asked with slurred speech.

“Yes, it is.”

Shit, please tell me she didn’t lose her mind.
I bent down and grabbed her hand. “Ana, do you know what happened to you?”

She didn’t speak. All I got was a shake of her head.
Damn, she was suffering from amnesia.
The doctor was going to have to make a house call. Perhaps her husband would leave the area if he couldn’t find her. If not, I’ll pay to have the equipment brought in. I held her fragile hand in mine and promised, “Ana, I’m going to do whatever it takes to get you back to normal.”

She nodded again with a small hint of a smile before falling back to sleep.

“I knew you’d come in here. Did you get any sleep?” Laura asked with her eyes still closed.

“A little. I had to check on her before I left for the day. I have to make my rounds, then I’m going straight into town to learn what I can.” Moving away from the bed, I closed the gap between Laura and me. “She doesn’t know who she is,” I whispered.

“That’s common. Hopefully, it’ll clear up once her body fully heals.”

“Let’s hope so,” I whispered before taking one more look at Ana, then headed out to survey my land.

~~~~~

After getting my morning work done, I went into town. There was more of a hubbub than usual this time of year, and I knew it was because of Santini’s wife’s disappearance. The doctor had written three prescriptions for Laura, so that was my first stop in town. I barely made it to the pharmacy counter when I was confronted by Santini.

“Where’s my wife?”

“I don’t know. Why the fuck are you asking me?”

“Because you were staring at her like you wanted her pussy.”

“Excuse me, I need to get some medicine.” I moved to the counter, and he stood there waiting to confront me.

The lady next to us, who was looking at sexual stimulants, laughed. Santini growled. “Do you got a fucking problem?”

Mrs. Baines answered for her tenant. “No, but you’re barking up the wrong tree. That boy over there may be wealthy, but after an accident, he don’t have working parts if you get my meaning,” she finished with a wink. I pretended that I didn’t hear her tell him that I was impotent. Let him think that; let her think that. This way Ana would be safe.

“Ha, so that’s what’s got your panties in a bunch, cowboy?”

“Listen, I may have lost that feeling a long time ago, but I’m more a man than your ass will ever be. She didn’t look happy to be by your side. I’m guessing that’s why she ran. Getting women by force is more pathetic than being a man who was speared by a bull. Why don’t you go back to where you came from and find a new broad?”

I walked away and out of the pharmacy. I had twenty minutes and more shit to do. There was no way I was intimidated by him. All I could hope for was that he bought my lack of interest in Ana’s whereabouts. I went into the feed store to order a delivery for next week. It was something I could have done by phone, but since I had time to kill and I wanted to look less conspicuous to the criminal element lurking around, I took care of it now.

“Hey, Will. How’s everything on the ranch? I hear Laura’s gotten herself sick,” Mrs. Reynolds said, greeting me at the front registers.

“Damn, word spreads like wildfire,” I said with a wink. That’s when I saw another one of his minions come in behind me.

“You know how it is in this town, boy. If it’s news, we’re talking about it. By the way, have you heard about that missing Texas woman? Her husband is searching for her, but if I were her, I’d be a thousand miles away right now. Unless he’s full of shit. You know how people like him are. They kill people and make them disappear. That’s probably what happened to his missus. Anyway, what can I do for you or Laura?”

I knew she said some of that shit because one of the suited thugs was standing in spitting distance from us. “Since I don’t know how long she’s going to be out sick, I need to order in advance. I’m going to be backed up on the ranch for a while.”

“I hear ya. You boys eat like animals. I don’t know if you can muster up the food as fast as you all devour it. Laura’s a professional. So who’s going to be cooking?”

“It’s mostly going to be me, but maybe it’s time to test out the boys’ cooking. Or you can come over and cook for us some time,” I offered.

“Oh, you know damn well and good I can’t cook worth a lick. If I couldn’t rustle up some cattle, I don’t think Mitch would have married me.”

I chuckled because that shit was true. The owner of the feed store worked hard, and when she came to work for him it was love at first sight, but dinners were made by him, or it would have been over before it started.

“Well then, I guess it’s best you stay working here then. I’ll just cook up some food.”

“So what will you need? The usual?”

“Yes, and can you make sure it arrives on Thursday next week instead of Friday. I think one of my heifers is pregnant and feasting faster than I can get the food to her.”

“Sure thing.”

“Thanks, take care and tell Mitch I said hello.”

“Will do,” she said waving me off. I stepped out in the sunny, cold day to a group of men gathered around the sheriff.

“What’s going on,” I asked Zeke the local old busybody standing on the sidelines.

“Thems fancy-to-do boys are splitting. The woman supposedly hitched a ride out of town with a skier and hasn’t been seen since.”

“Oh well, good for us. We don’t need their kind here anyway.” Bullshit. I wondered which one of them made up that lie. Either way, good riddance.

I walked away making sure they heard me loud and clear then stepped back into the pharmacy to pick up the meds for Ana. The pharmacist gave a look that told me there was more in the bag. I didn’t bother opening it until I got back to the ranch and saw the extra vial of a stronger medicine. I knew it was a pain med because I had taken it when I got gored.

The moment I made it up the stairs, I saw the doctor coming out. He had a grim look on his face, and I freaked the fuck out. “No. She can’t be dead. No.”

“She’s not, William. Calm down. Ana doesn’t have any memory of what happened. All she can remember is you, but she’s not awake long enough to say anything else. I want to come back in two days to check on her. As long as she doesn’t get a fever, we should be in the clear.”

“Thanks, Doc,” I said solemnly.

“I wish circumstances were better for the both of you.”

“Me too,” I groaned, “but all I want is for her to get better.”

He walked out, and I stepped into the room to see her sleeping. How was this going to work? I needed a miracle. A million obstacles in my way and yet, I have hope in my heart.

~~~~~

The following day, I worked hard and found that most of Santini’s goons had left with him. Only a few stayed to be lookouts for her. That was made clear when I caught them out walking the land by Ender’s Pass. I called the sheriff.

“White. This is Will. Those men are out by Ender’s Pass combing the area. I think they’re looking for something or someone.”

“Thanks, I’m going to stop by there. By the way, I know what you’re about. Is she okay?”

“What do you mean?”

“Laura’s not really sick, is she? I saw her that morning, and she was fit as a fiddle. I know you’ve got the missing woman there,” White said.

“I can’t let him or his men find out,” I replied, panic etched in my voice.

Immediately, he tried to calm me down. “Trust me, I’ve got no intentions of saying a word. I just wanted to know if she was okay.”

“She was beaten then tossed down the side of the embankment to the water’s edge.”

“She should be in a hospital,” he reprimanded.

“I know, but I can’t risk taking her,” I reminded him. There would be nothing Santini wouldn’t try to get at her and finish what he started.

“I’m going to try and run them out of town, but be careful, Will. You’re not used to dealing with guys like these.” I looked up to White as one of the baddest motherfuckers around.

“Same to you, White. They’re not going to take kindly to being questioned.”

“Says the guy who challenged the head of the criminal element.”

“I did that before. Besides, Mrs. Baines let him know about my physical problem, and he believed her. So his suspicion has dropped from me. He just doesn’t care for me.”

“I’m going to take a patrolman with me.”

I hung up with the sheriff before making my way back to the main house. I had to see how she was doing.

Opening the door to my/her room, she was still lying there, but she turned her head a bit and gave me a smile.

“William, Laura tells me I’m a lucky woman to have you in my life, but…you’re not my husband,” she whispered, her voice cracking. Hearing her mention her husband made me furious. I didn’t know shit about her, but I knew he was fucking repulsive and deserved to die.

“No, I’m not,” I grumbled.

The sadness in her eyes gutted me. “I can’t remember who he is, but something tells me he wouldn’t miss me.”

“I’m sorry, sugar, but you’re right. He wouldn’t.” Nope, next time the prick had the chance, he wouldn’t miss. She’d be dead—quickly. I couldn’t let that happen. He’d never get a chance.