Tears rolled down her face. Her heart squeezed inside her chest at the betrayal that Tate was suffering from at the moment. It wouldn’t end here. She knew that. Tate would be wounded more than physically from having his loyalty forsaken by his older brother.
She squeezed his hand in a show of support.
He pulled her forward and out of the hangar, never once looking back at Marcus as he got her into the car and the agent drove like a maniac toward the hospital.
Gabe Walker swung his big pickup truck into a vacant spot along the main road of Rocky Springs, his gut in knots over what he had to do.
He exited the truck and shook his head slowly as he plopped his black Stetson on his head. People jokingly referred to him as the billionaire cowboy, but he never took offense. He’d lived most of his childhood in Texas, born wealthy because he had a father who had made his fortune in oil. Like Blake, his dad had also had a cattle ranch. So Gabe guessed he was as much a cowboy as any other, even more than Blake, who many referred to as the cowboy senator because he had a cattle ranch.
He paused at the door and looked at the neat, fancy script written on the pristine window of the business:
Chloe Colter, DVM
He still had a hell of a time believing that little Chloe Colter was now a doctor, and a damn good vet from what he’d heard.
And not so little anymore.
Gabe could easily admit to himself that the woman got his dick hard. She had ever since she’d come back to town and he’d seen her again over a year ago, all grown up and filled out in all the right places. She was a beautiful woman, and she got riled up every time he was around. Okay…yeah…maybe she had reason to dislike him a little. But it wasn’t looking as if she was going to get over the incident they’d had any time soon.
He released a masculine sigh as he pulled the door open and approached the reception desk of Chloe’s clinic, his mind back on his task.
Hell, how could he tell her about what was happening when he didn’t really understand everything himself?
“What are you doing here?” The receptionist seat was empty and Chloe popped her pretty head around the corner. She glared at him as she spoke.
He took his hat off and motioned her out into the waiting room, which was empty. It was after business hours, but as usual, Chloe was still working with her animals. “I have to talk to you, Chloe.”
She must have reacted to the grave tone of his voice, because she flew out the door of the reception area immediately. “What?” She closed the door behind her and stood in front of Gabe with a questioning look on her face.
Oh hell, she looked so beautiful. He swallowed the lump in his throat as he looked down at her.
Just tell her. It isn’t going to get any easier.
“Tate’s injured. He’s at the hospital,” he told her in a husky voice.
Her face fell. A distressed look took the place of her curious expression. “Oh my God. How bad? What happened? Is he going to be all right?”
He didn’t know much. Blake had gotten a call, and Gabe had been at his house discussing some ranching issues when he’d gotten the news that Tate had been injured, and that most of the airstrip on Colter property was being sectioned off as a crime scene while the FBI investigated.
“I don’t know. I’ll take you to the hospital. Blake went to pick up your mom.”
He told her about the injury that had occurred at the airstrip, and that access was restricted into some of that area for now as a crime scene.
“Why?” Chloe gaped at him. “Did he crash?”
Gabe shook his head. “All I know is that he was apparently stabbed by an unknown person. It’s an FBI investigation, and we don’t know a whole lot more.” He took a deep breath before adding, “One more thing, Chloe.”
Jesus H. Christ. How could he tell her about the other tragedy for her family when she was already afraid for Tate? But he had to do it. “Your brother Marcus has been arrested.”
Chloe put her hands on her hips. “Please tell me this is all some kind of sick joke. That’s not possible. Marcus is as moral as a man can be. What in the world could he get arrested for?”
Gabe had thought the same thing, but it was apparently true. “The FBI has him in custody for conspiring to commit an act of terror.” Christ, he could hardly believe it himself. He didn’t know Marcus as well as he knew Blake, but never in his wildest dreams could he see a straight arrow like Marcus flying crooked.
“Please tell me you’re joking,” Chloe pleaded. Her eyes grew bright with tears.
“I might be an asshole sometimes, Chloe, but I swear I wouldn’t joke about something like this. I’m sorry.” He couldn’t stand to see those vulnerable gray eyes look at him pleadingly. He wanted to tell her that he wasn’t serious, but he couldn’t. He was as serious as a heart attack. “Grab your coat, darlin’, and I’ll drive you to the hospital to check on Tate.”
“Yeah. Yeah, I’ll get it.” Chloe look dazed as she opened the door and reached back into the office for her winter gear and her purse.
Gabe took it from her and helped her into the jacket, taking her hat and pulling it gently over her ears and wrapping her scarf around her neck.
“Can you drive fast, please?” she begged him as they stepped outside and she tried to lock her office door with a shaky hand.
He took the key from her, locked the deadbolt, and dropped the key ring into her purse. “As fast as I safely can,” he promised as he opened the door of his truck and helped her inside.
She still looked as if she was in shock, so he buckled her up before he gently closed the door and ran around to the driver’s seat.
Once settled, he started the truck up and started the short drive to the hospital. He took the icy roads as fast as he dared, which was pretty damn far over the speed limit.
“I don’t know what to think. I don’t know how to believe this,” Chloe murmured quietly.
“Everything will be okay, Chloe. We’ll get it all figured out as soon as we get to the hospital. Tate will be all right. You know he’s too dang ornery to be down for long.” Gabe hoped to hell he was right.
“I’m worried about Mom. She isn’t going to take this very well. Even if Tate is okay, Marcus being charged with something that ludicrous is going to hurt her.”
“We don’t know what happened. Let’s find out the facts first. Maybe it’s all a misunderstanding. Blake said the agent who called wasn’t very forthcoming.”