MACK HAD come to visit Brantley, and when he stepped into the room and around the curtain, he was horrified to see Julie with her hand at Brantley’s throat. He reacted immediately, grabbing her to get her away. Julie fought like the devil, and when Brantley said that she’d injected him with something, he got her arms around her back and pulled upward. He was damn close to breaking her arms, but she still fought like someone possessed.
“Get down on the floor right the hell now,” Mack yelled. The room filled with people who had heard his raised voice, and he figured he was seconds from being scolded. “She injected him with something. Find out what it is and help him now!” Mack pulled Julie to the hallway and slammed her against the hallway wall. “Tell me what you gave him.”
She shook her head.
“Tell me or so help me I will shoot you right here and say you were grabbing for my gun,” he growled, and her eyes filled with fear.
She turned away, and Mack knew he was going to get nothing out of her.
He went through her pockets and found two syringes, one empty and another full. He got the attention of one of the passing nurses and handed her the empty syringe.
“Is this what was used on him?” the nurse asked.
“I think so,” Mack said, and she took it and hurried away.
Doctors and nurses passed as Mack held Julie still. He managed to call in and request backup, and was told Ronnie was on his way.
“Like a bat out of hell,” Mack responded, and Gloria acknowledged the message. He wanted to be in there to find out if Brantley was going to be all right, but he had to keep Julie under control. More people rushed into Brantley’s room, one carrying an IV bag. He had rarely seen people race that fast in a hospital. “What did you give him? If you help me, I might be able to help you.”
“Bullshit,” Julie said and went quiet.
Mack got her facedown on the floor and checked all her pockets, including the ones in her jacket. “Doctor…,” he yelled, and a man came out of Brantley’s room. He handed him a small vial, and the doctor hurried back inside. Mack got Julie handcuffed and subdued. He heard Ronnie respond to the radio call, and he appeared a few minutes later, taking charge of Julie. “Get her to the station and put her in a cell. I’ll be there as soon as I can.” He asked Ronnie for evidence bags and put what he’d found into one.
Zeb showed up as well, and both of them led Julie out of the hospital while Mack took custody of the evidence.
Once Julie was gone, Mack poked his head into Brantley’s room. He lay still on the bed and was as pale as the sheets. “What happened?”
“We think she injected him with a massive dose of insulin. We have a glucose IV running, and we’ve given him some injections. He was responsive a few minutes ago.” The doctor checked Brantley again. “Give him one more,” he said to the nurse, and she put something into the IV. Then she pricked one of his fingers.
“Fifty,” she said when the device she was holding beeped.
“It’s coming up,” he said. “Get some candy for him. I want him to eat when he wakes up. Also, some orange juice, and add some sugar. He’s going to need sugar for a while.”
The nurse hurried away, and Mack approached the bed.
“Brantley, can you hear me?” Mack asked, taking his hand. Brantley didn’t answer, and Mack turned to the doctor.
“We need to give his body a few minutes. We’ve pumped a lot of sugar into him to counteract the insulin. It’s been coming up, and there’s still a steady stream of glucose entering his body.”
“Mack?” Brantley whispered. “Is that you?”
“Yes, I’m here.” Mack turned as a nurse hurried into the room. “You need to drink this.” He took the cup and held the straw to Brantley’s lips. “Just drink. It’s going to help you.”
Brantley sucked in some of the liquid.
“You need to keep drinking,” the doctor encouraged. “It’s going to help you feel better.”
Mack continued holding the straw to his lips until Brantley had finished the glass.
“Someone hit me with a baseball bat,” Brantley said. “Then they punched me and held me down.”
Mack turned to the doctor in confusion.
“It’s normal for him to be confused at a time like this. Give it a few minutes.” The doctor came closer. “You were injected with a high dose of insulin, and your blood sugar bottomed out. We’re going to watch you and keep sugar going into your system for a while, but you should be feeling better really soon.” He turned to Mack. “It’s a good thing you got here when you did. But I think he’s going to be okay now. We’ll watch him.” The nurses had left, and now the doctor stepped out of the room as well.
“Thanks.” Mack turned back to Brantley. “I’ve made a shit job of it, haven’t I?”
Brantley blinked a few times as though he was trying to make sense of what Mack had said. “Why do you say that?” he said much more coherently.
“Because… I was supposed to protect you. All this happened on my watch, and I completely overlooked the one person right out in the open. I suspected every one of your neighbors, but she flew under my radar the entire time.”
“I liked her,” Brantley said. “If they gave out Academy Awards for criminals, I think she would be up for the lifetime achievement award. She had me completely fooled.”
“Me too. But we have her now.”
“And she told me everything,” Brantley said. “She shot Renae and took the shot at me. She also said she made Denny run off the road. I bet if you search her ranch real good, you’ll find the gun and the boots we’ve been looking for. She said she used both of them.”
Wow. Mack wasn’t sure what to say. “I thought they were happy.”
“She said Denny was having an affair with Renae, and that’s why she killed her. She just wanted me out of the way for the ranch, water, and gold.” Brantley turned away, and Mack wondered what was going through his mind. It wouldn’t surprise him if Brantley decided that New York City was safer than here.
“What are you going to do?” Mack asked.
Brantley sighed and turned back to him. “I don’t know. On the one hand, I can rebuild my house and try to make a life in a town where half the people will still think I’m a murderer and some sort of freak for being gay, or I can go back to New York, where my professional reputation is in tatters.” He closed his eyes.
“There is one thing, and I hope it’s important, that you didn’t take into consideration,” Mack said.
“I took everything into consideration.” Brantley opened his startling blue eyes and looked deeply into Mack’s. “I think you go a long way toward tipping the scales in favor of this town.”
“So you’re going to stay?”
“Yes. I’m going to find an architect and have a house designed that will be exactly what I want, with plenty of wood and windows to let in the light, as well as a room to display my art collection.”
Mack leaned over the bed. “Can you afford all that? I know you have money, but….”
“I’m easily the richest person in town, and maybe in the top five in the state. I was very good at making money for my clients, and they paid me a great deal for the privilege. Does that make a difference to you?”
Mack had known Brantley had money, but that much money was hard for him to visualize. “Only that I don’t want you to think I’m interested in you for what you have.”
Brantley squeezed his hand and smiled. “I don’t. So this thing is really over?”
“Yes. I need to go to the station and take care of Julie. It’s going to be a paperwork nightmare, but your testimony will help a great deal.”
Brantley nodded slowly. “Be sure to stop in and see Denny. He’s going to need friends now, and so is Nathan.”
The impact on that little boy hit Mack almost as hard as the realization of how close he’d come to losing Brantley… again. That was becoming a habit that Mack desperately wanted to break. “I have to go,” he said softly.
“I know. Hopefully once they have figured out how to counteract what Julie did, I can go home. I’m tired of lying here.”
Mack kissed Brantley once again and then turned toward the door. “Call me as soon as you know anything, and I’ll get back over here.” He left the room and used his position to get Denny’s room number. Mack went right there, pausing outside the room before entering. His old friend lay on the bed, pale and looking as though he hadn’t shaved in a few days. Mack sat next to the bed, watching his chest slowly rise and fall.
“I saved you yesterday. To do my job, I had to put our friendship aside. But now I know there’s nothing to worry about.” Mack was more relieved than he ever wanted to admit. Arresting his old friend had been the last thing he’d wanted to do, and he was grateful he now didn’t have to.
Denny groaned. “What are you talking about?” His words were barely audible.
Mack jumped up and then called the nurse. “He’s waking up,” he told the young man when he came into the room.
“Thanks goodness. I’ll call the doctor.”
“Where’s Julie? Why isn’t she here?” Denny asked.
Of course Denny had no idea what had been happening or what his wife had been up to, and it would fall on Mack’s shoulders to break his friend’s world into small pieces.
“She can’t be here right now, so I was stopping by to check on you,” Mack said, watching as Denny’s eyes fluttered open.
“Where am I?”
“In the hospital,” Mack explained. “Your truck went off the road and flipped a couple times. I pulled you out, and they brought you here.” He figured there was plenty of time to tell him everything, but not at this very moment.
“Was Nathan with me?”
“No. You were alone.” Mack reminded himself that he needed to find out where Nathan was and make sure there was someone who could take care of him until Denny was able to. “Just relax and rest. Everything is going to be all right now.”
Denny nodded and closed his eyes.
The nurses and doctors came, and Mack explained about their conversation, getting out of the way so they could do their jobs. When he went to leave, the doctor took him aside. “Should we tell him about his wife?” the doctor asked.
“No. I have some things to do in regard to her. I’ll be back in a few hours, and I’ll sit down and explain everything to him then. Just let him rest and recuperate.”
“He’s going to sleep for hours yet, so… I’ll make sure that instructions are left.”
“Thank you,” Mack said firmly and then left the hospital.
“THANKS FOR coming to get me,” Brantley said when Mack picked him up at the hospital early that evening. “How did it all go?”
“Paperwork by the ton,” Mack said. “Julie is safely behind bars in my jail, and that’s where she’s going to stay. She tried to put the ranch up as collateral for her bail, but once they found out that her husband was a victim in all this as well, that died on the vine.”
“What about Nathan?”
“He’s home with his buddy Lew and the dogs. This afternoon after I popped my head in to see you, I explained everything that had happened to Denny. Things between him and Julie weren’t good at all. It turns out that Julie was abusive, and Denny was too much of a gentleman to fight back. He was preparing to leave her but hadn’t yet because of Nathan.”
“My God.”
“Exactly. Julie had suggested he go camping to clear his head and then used his time away against him.” Mack pulled to a stop and turned to Brantley, relieved to have him home and in one piece. The doctor had said he had to take it easy and made him promise to eat regularly in case there were any aftereffects from the insulin injection. “The kicker is that he says he never had an affair with Renae. They were friends of a sort, and he was seeing her for advice on how to save the ranch.”
“Jesus, that is so fucked up. Renae is dead because Julie got it all wrong.”
“Yup. I’m having her evaluated by a doctor to head off some insanity defense.” Mack pulled back onto the road and continued to his house.
“How did she know about the insulin and get access to the drugs?”
“Her mother is diabetic, and Julie took some of her supplies. The other stuff she got from taking care of the horses and cattle. By the way, I moved your things into my room. Denny is going to be in the hospital a few more days, but now that he’s awake, he’s going to be okay. Erickson is taking care of things at the ranch. I hope it’s okay, but I pulled in one of the many favors he owes you to get him to do it.”
“Of course,” Brantley said just as Mack had expected him to. “We should try to help our neighbors when we can.”
Mack pulled into the drive and stopped. He and Brantley got out and walked slowly up to the door. “Hey, Dad,” Mack said when he entered, and Lew shushed him quickly.
Nathan was asleep on the sofa, curled on his side.
“I made some soup,” Lew whispered. “So come through to the kitchen when you’re ready.”
Mack followed Brantley down the hall to his room, and they went inside. Mack closed the door and tugged Brantley to him. “You’ve given me more scares in the past few days.” He kissed him hard, needing to touch and taste and know that Brantley was truly okay.
“I’m fine, Mack,” Brantley said when they pulled apart a minute later. “But you can do that anytime.” Brantley rested his head on Mack’s shoulder, and they stood together, quietly. “I have to ask what you plan to do if you don’t win the next election.”
“Seems like a weird time for that conversation,” Mack said.
“I know. But having me in your life could cost you a lot. And don’t tell me it’s no big deal. I know you love what you do, and I don’t want to be the cause of you losing something that important.”
“Hey. You are important. Being sheriff is a job. If I lose reelection, then I’ll probably turn rancher and work alongside a certain newcomer from back East.” Mack winked. “If you’re willing, we’ll just take things one step at a time and do what needs to be done. Yes, there will be people who won’t vote for me, but I’d like to think most people aren’t going to care.”
“Are you sure?” Brantley asked, and Mack closed the last small gap between them until they were chest to chest, Brantley’s erection pressing to Mack’s own. “I guess you are.”
“Everything will work out one way or another.” Mack was thrilled when Brantley quivered in his arms.
“WHAT ABOUT Nathan and his dad?” Brantley asked from on top of the covers as Mack sat on the edge of the bed. He had been like the grand inquisitor for the last hour.
“Tomorrow we’re going to take Nathan up to see his dad, and hopefully Denny will be able to come home in a few days. Lew is going to come along. Nathan has really bonded with him and is calling him Grandpa Lew, so I think that’s best. We can explain about his mother then.” It damn near broke Mack’s heart every time Nathan asked where his mother was. “This whole thing is a real mess.”
“No. It’s a challenge. The real mess has been unraveled and brought to light. People can deal with it now, and hopefully they’ll rally around Denny and Nathan rather than turn away from them.” Mack pulled the covers up around them and lay next to Brantley, holding him close. God, he needed this. He stroked down his back, rememorizing the contours, especially that slight dip just before the curve of Brantley’s ass.
“Your dad is going to be waiting for us,” Brantley said even as he hugged Mack tighter with a soft sigh. “They said I need to eat, but I’m not hungry for food.”
“How about you eat some soup, and then we’ll concentrate on other activities.” Mack was determined that the incident from earlier in the day would be out of Brantley’s system. He pulled away, caressing up Brantley’s back and then letting his hands drift away. “Come on. Let’s eat.” He took Brantley’s hand and led him out of the room.
As Mack expected, Lew had a million questions, and Mack answered what he could. There were some he wasn’t prepared to talk about, especially with regard to evidence. He also didn’t want to talk about Nathan’s mother directly, in case the boy woke up, so they talked in a code of sorts.
“Grandpa Lew?” Nathan came into the kitchen rubbing his eyes, and Mack’s dad rolled back. Nathan climbed on his lap. “Where’s Mama and Daddy?”
“Your daddy was hurt, but he’s doing better, and we’re going to take you to see him tomorrow,” Mack told him.
“Are you hungry?” Lew asked, and Nathan nodded.
Brantley stood and got him a bowl and some crackers, then brought them to the table.
Nathan ate without getting down, and he kept looking at all of them as though he knew something was very wrong and was waiting for them to tell him. “Where’s my mama?” Nathan turned and asked Lew, who glanced at the others, looking for an answer.
Mack sighed. “Your mama tried to hurt people really bad.”
“Is she in jail?” Nathan asked.
Mack was shocked into silence for a second, wondering if Nathan had overheard something, but then maybe that was a logical conclusion for a youngster. People who hurt people went to jail. “Yes, she is. Your daddy will tell you all about it, I promise.” He’d hoped to be able to avoid the topic altogether, but he wasn’t going to lie to him. “Why don’t you eat your soup, and then you can play or watch television before bed.”
Nathan took a few bites and then leaned back against his Grandpa Lew’s chest.
Lew hugged him and slowly rolled away from the table. “It’s all right. You’ll see your daddy tomorrow.” Lew left the room with Nathan, and Mack turned to Brantley.
“How are we going to make things okay for him?” Mack asked. “What happened is going to stay with him forever.”
“I know.” Brantley finished his soup and took his dishes to the sink. Then he left the room without saying anything else.
Mack finished his own dinner and did all the dishes. He needed some time to think. Catching the bad guy was his job, and he’d done that, but in the process, he’d left a four-year-old without a mother. That wasn’t his fault, but it didn’t mean it wasn’t the complete shits.
He heard the unmistakable music of cartoons and hoped Nathan was content. When Mack was finished, he joined them in the living room.
“Brantley went to bed.”
It was too early for him to go to sleep, so he sat with his father and Nathan, watching some show about Princess Sophia until Nathan fell asleep. Mack put Nathan to bed, his heart breaking for the little boy.
Lew was waiting for him when he left the bedroom. “Your feelings for him do you credit,” Lew said. “It’s easy to be heartless.” He looked toward the master bedroom. “If you and Brantley decide to have children someday, you’ll be a very good father.”
“Dad, we haven’t known each other that long. Isn’t it a little soon to talk like that?”
“After your mother left, I had to be both parents to you. I think that experience gave me a very good insight into you. Maybe better than your own. But the thing is, you and I, we expect people to leave. It’s what your mother did, and that stayed with us.”
Mack nodded. That had been in the back of his mind ever since he’d met Brantley. Even now, he expected him to change his mind and decide to go back to New York. “What do I do?”
“You live your life. Brantley has had plenty of chances to leave, and he hasn’t. Lord knows that boy has reason to. But he’s asleep in your room, and I dare say he’s waiting for you to come to bed. To be with him. That says a lot. Brantley is strong and knows his mind. So all you have to do is accept it.”
“It’s that simple?”
“Yup. I never stopped loving your mother and didn’t move on. Some people would say that was a mistake, but I don’t regret it. You, on the other hand, have a chance with Brantley. Don’t hesitate to open your heart to him just because you’re afraid he’ll do to you what your mother did to me.”
“It’s….”
“Just let yourself be happy for today… a week… a year… the rest of your life. Take what comes and you could hit the jackpot.” Lew turned in his chair, heading toward his bedroom, and Mack quietly opened the door to his bedroom.
The air smelled of Brantley as he went inside and closed the door. Mack stripped off his clothes and climbed into the bed as gently as he could so he didn’t disturb…. He wasn’t sure how to finish that thought.
“Mack…,” Brantley said softly.
“Yes,” Mack said as he rolled onto his side. “Are you feeling okay?”
Brantley slid right next to him, pressing his heated body to Mack’s. “I love you.” Brantley paused, and Mack swallowed hard. “I know we’ve said things to each other, but I wanted you to know. Falling in love wasn’t what I expected after a week like this, but I do love you, and I want you in my life.”
“I love you too.” Mack brought his lips to Brantley’s, kissing him harder than he intended, but the energy between them drew him in. “I know it’s fast….”
“Slow… fast… doesn’t matter. What does is that we found each other.” Brantley kissed him once again, pressing Mack onto his back as he climbed on top of him. “I’ve had many hours to rest and think about what I want.”
“Are you sure?” Mack asked.
“Yes. Are you?” Brantley asked in return.
Mack let his kiss answer for him, and soon they were showing each other just how much they cared and needed each other. Minutes and hours fused together in the dark room that was their sanctuary from what had happened and what was still to be done. They explored with tongues and hands and learned what was still new, and when Mack entered Brantley’s body, slowly filling him, he found himself equally filled with the care and love that had blossomed between them and burst outward to fill the entire room. He was going to hold on to this for the rest of his life. Of that he had no doubt.