Vanished in Texas
Author
Karen Whiddon
Reads
15.0K
Chapters
17
She needs his help…to find their missing loved ones. Willow Allen wants to surprise her grandmother Isla with a visit to her small Texas town, but it's Willow who ends up surprised: Isla is nowhere to be found. Nor is Carl, the man Isla has been dating. To find them — and other seniors who mysteriously have gone missing — Willow joins forces with Carl's rancher son Rey Johnson. All they have in common is the instant attraction they feel. But they know that ultimately Willa must return to the California life she loves and Rey will stay true to Texas, so they need to resist. Neither foresees the danger that could unite them.
Chapter 1
The instant Willow Allen caught sight of her grandmother’s white-frame ranch house, something inside her unclenched. West Texas might be flat, the earth dry and desert like, and the weather in July hotter than most people would consider hospitable, but no matter where Willow currently lived, she’d always consider it home.
For the past five years, Willow had lived in California, with its perfect weather, palm trees and beaches. She’d taken a job there right out of college, working as an actuary for a large insurance company. The work was not particularly glamorous, but she’d always loved numbers and considered it a good fit.
But then her grandmama had mentioned going to the hospital with chest pains and, after returning home, had refused to discuss her health further. She’d steadfastly said she was fine, claiming nothing was wrong. Alarmed, Willow had immediately put in for some of her accumulated PTO and made the long drive back to Getaway, Texas. She’d decided not to tell her grandmother, aware Isla would tell her not to come.
She hadn’t been home since Christmas. Seven months ago, her grandmother had been just fine. At least, as far as Willow had been able to tell. But Isla lived alone, and despite expressing happiness with her new relationship with a local rancher, Willow worried. The woman she considered her mother had single-handedly raised her and loved her without reservation after Willow’s birth mother, Isla’s daughter, had died of a drug overdose. She was and would always be the most important person in Willow’s life. Willow couldn’t wait to surprise her. She planned to wrap her arms around her grandmother’s tiny frame, breathe in her unique patchouli scent and spend the next three weeks catching up.
Parking her shiny, new red Ford Bronco in the driveway, Willow got her suitcase out of the back and pulled it up to the front door. She used her own key and entered, calling out to alert her grandmother to her presence.
Nothing but silence answered her. Just her luck. Grandma mustn’t be home. She dug out her phone and called her. Immediately, a phone in the master bedroom started ringing.
That was odd, to say the least. Willow hurried over and, sure enough, spotted her grandmother’s cell on the nightstand next to the neatly made bed.
Concerned, Willow began searching the house. What if Isla had experienced another chest pain episode and fallen? She might even now be lying unconscious. Heart racing, Willow went through every room, checking in the closet and shower, the kitchen pantry and laundry room and, finally, the garage.
Her grandmother’s silver Toyota Corolla still sat parked inside.
What the...? Willow backtracked to the master bedroom and opened the closet. While she wasn’t an expert on Isla’s wardrobe, it didn’t look like much, if anything, was missing.
Maybe her grandma’s new beau had picked her up and taken her out somewhere, and she’d simply forgotten her phone. That had to be it. Willow would simply call him, make sure her grandmother was okay and wait for her return.
She grabbed Isla’s phone and realized she didn’t know the passcode. Despite trying several combinations, from her grandmother’s birthday to her own, she couldn’t get in. Frustrated, she went back to her own phone and scrolled through the texts between the two of them, trying to find the guy’s name. Finally, she located it. Carl. No last name. And while Willow knew most of the families in town, without more information, she had no idea who Carl might be.
Still concerned, she called her friend Amanda. Unlike Willow, Amanda had never left Getaway. After graduating from cosmetology school, Amanda had opened her own beauty salon right on Main Street. No one had better access to the local gossip than the proprietor of Hair Affair. But the receptionist who answered said Amanda was with a client and offered to take a message.
Instead of leaving her name and number, Willow hung up. No way did she intend to sit around aimlessly and wait for Amanda to return her call. Patience had never been one of her virtues.
She grabbed her car keys and decided to head downtown. She might as well ask Amanda in person. That way, she could go directly to this Carl’s house and see if her grandmother was there. If not, maybe Carl might know where Isla had gone.
While she hated to take such drastic measures, Willow didn’t see how she had a choice. None of this was like her mom. Even if Isla hadn’t been aware her daughter was coming to pay her a surprise visit, she had her self-imposed routine. Ever since becoming an empty nester, she’d filled her days with various activities, all scheduled. She attended yoga on Tuesdays, book club on Thursdays, and she volunteered at the local animal shelter on Friday afternoons. She’d taken up knitting and gardening and took great pride in her rose bushes. By her own unvarying schedule, Isla should be home right now, making something for the noon meal.
Pushing away her niggling worry, Willow went back outside to get in her SUV to make the short drive back to town. But before she could even start the engine, a large dually pickup pulled up in front of the house.
Maybe her grandmother had arrived home. Excited, Willow got out of her SUV and started toward the huge truck. As she approached, instead of Isla, a tall man wearing a black cowboy hat got out. He wore well-fitting Wranglers and boots. Ignoring her, he started for the front door.
“Excuse me,” she said, causing him to break stride. “No one’s home.”
This finally caught his attention. He turned, muscles rippling under his tan Western shirt. His handsome, rugged face seemed vaguely familiar, as if she might have seen him on a television show or in a movie.
She froze, her first thought rodeo cowboy. But then again, maybe not. He had a strong profile and chiseled features. And he moved with a kind of easy grace that she found somehow sensual. A true West Texas specimen brimming over with masculinity. And absolutely everything that she’d once found unbearably sexy and now abhorred in a man.
Or thought she did, right up until this very moment.
“I’m looking for my father,” he said, his husky voice tinged with the familiar West Texas drawl. “Carl Johnson. His, er, lady friend lives in this house.”
Crossing her arms, she took a deep breath. “My grandmother lives here. And she’s gone. I just arrived in from out of state. I was hoping she was with him.”
Now she’d caught his attention. “Gone?” His narrow gaze swept over her. “Where is she?”
“I don’t know. Her car is in the garage. And she left her cell phone in her bedroom. I have no idea where she might be. In fact, I was heading into town to see if I could find out where your father lives so I could check there.”
“His truck is still at the ranch too,” the man mused. “I wonder if they had friends pick them up.”
“What about your dad’s cell? Did you try calling it?”
Slowly, he nodded. “I did. He left it behind too.” Moving a few steps closer, he held out his hand. “Rey Johnson.”
“Willow Allen.” She took his hand and shook it, hiding her amazement at how easily his large hand engulfed hers. “I need to find my grandmother. And since your father is missing too, maybe we can team up to make the search easier.”
“I wouldn’t say missing,” he began, then shrugged and shook his head. “Though I guess you could call it that.”
With that, he turned to go.
“Wait!” Stunned, she rushed after him. “What are we going to do about it? We have to find them.”
“We?” He turned and stared.
Deciding to continue pushing, since she had no idea what else to do, she nodded. “Yes, we. Two heads are better than one, don’t you think? And since our parents are likely together, it only makes sense.”
When her plea didn’t appear to convince him, she continued. “I grew up here. And while I don’t live here now, I know enough about Getaway to know all of us stick together and help each other.”
“Did you go to school with my younger brother, Sam?” he asked.
It took her a moment to put the name together. “Sam Johnson?” Stunned, now it was her turn to stare. “I did. I had no idea my grandmother was dating his father.”
“Our father,” he corrected. “But, yes. The two of them have been seeing each other for several months.”
She took a moment to fully digest this. When she and her grandmom had talked on the phone, Isla had been uncharacteristically giddy about her new relationship. Willow had been happy for her. After all, her grandmother had been alone for as long as Willow could remember. She’d dated, certainly. But she’d also cultivated a wide circle of friends, and between social activities and her volunteer work, her life had seemed full.
Until the health scare. The mere fact that Isla refused to talk about it, when she and Willow kept no secrets from one another, had been really concerning. This, more than anything else, had made Willow drive home.
Right now though, she needed to find her grandmother. “What about their other friends? Do you think they might be out somewhere with another couple?”
He shrugged. “I have no idea, but since neither of them took their own vehicles, that has to be what happened. I just got back from Colorado, where I picked up livestock. Since my dad was really excited about them, and he knew when I’d be back, I was surprised when I couldn’t find him. Sam has been busy repairing fence all day, so he didn’t know anything.”
The undercurrent of worry she thought she heard in his voice gave her pause. “Do you think something might have happened to them?”
When he met her gaze, his brown eyes seemed kind. “Let’s not jump to conclusions. I’m sure there’s a rational explanation.”
She wanted to believe him. Yet she couldn’t seem to shake the feeling that something was wrong. “I’m going to go into town and ask around. One lunch at the Tumbleweed Café should catch me up on all the local gossip.”
This comment made him laugh. “Truer words have never been spoken.”
“What about you? Would you like to join me?” she asked.
“Maybe another time,” he replied, holding her gaze. The warmth in his expression made her mouth go dry. “I need to head back to the ranch. How about I give you my number and you can text me so I have yours. That way, if either of us gets any new information, we can let the other know.”
She entered his number into her phone contacts and then sent him a text so he’d have hers. Then she watched as he strode to his truck, an unfamiliar ache warring with the worry inside of her.
Just as he reached for his door handle, he stopped and turned. “I changed my mind,” he said. “If you still want to, let’s go grab lunch. I haven’t eaten since sunrise and could go for one of the Tumbleweed’s burgers.”
“Sounds great.” She hurried to join him before he changed his mind.
To her surprise, he went around to the passenger side and opened the door for her. “Thanks,” she said, realizing she’d almost forgotten what it was like to live in small-town West Texas.
Buckling up, she waited for him to get in and start the engine. Now she could only hope they’d run into both their parents, so she could put this sense of foreboding behind her.
Damn. Drumming his fingers on the steering wheel as he drove, Rey Johnson tried to reconcile his admittedly vague memories of the teenaged girl who’d hung around with his younger brother with the stunning woman in his passenger seat.
He’d known, of course, that his father’s girlfriend had a daughter who lived in California. Sam had mentioned bitterly several times how much he envied Willow for having the courage to get out of West Texas and start a new life somewhere better. For all his talk, Sam seemed awfully content to stick around the family ranch and do the bare minimum to help keep the place running.
Both Rey and their father humored him. Carl because Sam was his youngest son, aka the baby, and Rey because he understood what made his brother tick. While Sam might be a dreamer, he hadn’t yet made the connection between dreams and the hard work necessary to accomplish them.
Shaking off these thoughts, Rey glanced at Willow. “I’m guessing it’s been a while since you visited your grandmother?”
“Christmas,” she answered, clearly distracted. “Just about seven months ago. I work in LA. I usually save up my vacation days so I can come home. Though my grandmom and I talk on the phone at least once a week. Sometimes more.”
“LA?” He could understand why she’d gone to California. Whether her dream had been to model or to become an actor, someone who looked like her would be sure to get noticed. “Do you act?”
“Act?” Frowning, she eyed him as if he’d suggested she’d taken up cliff diving as a hobby. “No. I work in insurance. I’m an actuary. My job is to analyze the financial costs of risk and uncertainty.” She took a deep breath and then smiled. “I absolutely love it.”
Her smile lit up the inside of his truck and made his heart beat just a little bit faster.
“An actuary,” he repeated, trying not to show his surprise. “I take it you must also love math.”
“And spreadsheets,” she countered, still smiling. “But yes. Math is my jam.”
Not sure how to respond, he nodded.
“What about you?” she asked. “Since you’re a rancher, I’m guessing you work around the place with your father.”
“And brother,” he added. “Sam works there too. We raise cattle, though recently we expanded to include bison. That’s what I was doing in Colorado.”
“Yet neither of you noticed when your dad left? Why wouldn’t he have mentioned he was going somewhere?”
“That’s just it,” he replied, frustrated. “He’s been really looking forward to seeing the bison we purchased. He knew what time I’d be getting back. I actually expected him to be there to help me unload.”
Turning onto Main Street, he noticed the way Willow sat up straight. “The Tumbleweed looks busy as always,” she said, her lips curving. “I think out of all the places to eat in Getaway, I missed this one the most.”
Since he’d never even once wanted to live anywhere else besides the town where he’d grown up, he simply shrugged. “Some things never change.”
He found a parking spot close to the entrance. When he and Willow walked in together, several patrons sent interested glances their way. Which meant they’d be talking about him later.
The hostess, a quiet girl named Barbi who looked like a college student, led them to a booth close to a front window. Busy scanning the restaurant, Willow nearly ran her over when she stopped in front of their seats.
“I’m so sorry,” Willow said. “I’m just looking for my mother or even some of her friends. Maybe you’ve seen her? Isla Allen?”
Barbi stared and then shook her head. “I’m new,” she replied. “This is only my second day. I’m home from Tech for the summer. So if she’s a regular here, I wouldn’t know her. I can ask around though, if you want.”
“I’d appreciate it.” Willow slid into the booth and accepted the menu.
A moment later, Rey did the same. He’d barely glanced at the menu when an older man wearing a Western shirt, Wranglers and boots walked up. “Afternoon, Rey.”
Rey pushed to his feet and held out his hand. “Good to see you, Walter. You haven’t happened to have seen my father around town today, have you?”
“Nope. I haven’t seen much of Carl ever since he went and got himself a lady friend.” Walter eyed Willow curiously. “And who’s this here pretty young thing?”
“My name is Willow Allen,” Willow said, smiling. “I’m Isla Allen’s daughter.”
Walter’s faded blue gaze sharpened. “Nice to see you back in town. I remember when you were just knee high.”
“We’re looking for them both,” Willow continued. “As you seem to know, his father, Carl, and my grandma, Isla, are a couple. We’re hoping someone around here might have seen them.”
“You can’t find them?” Walter asked. “Are you saying they’re missing?”
“Not at all,” Rey said, aware he needed to step in before Walter started a panic over the gossip grapevine. “Both of us just got back in town—separately—and we’re thinking maybe the two of them are out doing something fun together. Willow here wants to surprise her grandmother. That’s all.”
“Oh.” Clearly disappointed, Walter shrugged. “If I happen to see them, I’ll let them know you’re looking for them.” Dipping his chin at Rey, the older man left.
The waitress appeared. “Can I get you something to drink?”
“Iced tea, please,” Willow responded. Rey seconded that.
“Are you two ready to order or do you need another minute?”
“I’m ready,” Willow said, sliding her menu across the table so the waitress could grab it. “I’ll have the mushroom Swiss burger with fries.”
“Bacon burger for me, please.” Rey handed over his menu as well. Once the waitress left, he leaned over and spoke quietly so he wouldn’t be overheard. “I know you’ve been gone for a while, but I know you have to remember how quickly the gossip spreads around here.”
“I do.” She sighed. “And you’re right. My grandmom wouldn’t be happy if I started rumors about her. I just can’t help but be worried. She’s never done anything like this before.”
“Like what?” he asked. “From what you’ve told me, she had no idea you were even coming to visit. I really think she and my dad are out somewhere enjoying themselves with friends. They’ll show up eventually.”
Expression enigmatic, she eyed him. “You sound awfully certain.”
“I am.” He sat back in his seat to make room for the waitress with their tea. He waited until she’d left before continuing. “Seriously, what are the alternatives?”
She sighed. “You’re probably right, but I tend to have an overactive imagination. I worry.”
“I get that. But give it until tonight. If she doesn’t return home by then, we’ll talk again.”
Some of the tenseness seemed to leave her expression. Slowly, she nodded. “Sounds like a plan.” For a moment, she studied him. “How is it that your dad is around the same age as my granny? You don’t seem to be more than a couple of years older than me, and I know Sam and I are the same age.”
“Carl is actually my uncle. He and my father ran the ranch together. When my mom died giving birth to Sam, he became like a second father to us.” He took a deep breath, since he hated dredging up the painful past. “I was five when my father died during a bull-riding incident out in Cheyenne. He’d taken up rodeo when Sam and I were both toddlers and left us with Carl most of the time. He’s Dad to us now and has been for a long time.”
Her sweet smile contained a hint of sadness. “Same with my grandmother. She raised me up and is the only mom I ever knew. I don’t know what I’d do if something happened to her.”
Their food arrived then. Though his burger made his mouth water, he found himself watching as she picked hers up and took a bite. She ate with gusto, which he appreciated, and yet there was somehow something sensual about the way she enjoyed her meal. His body reacted immediately, and he busied himself with eating to get it back under control.
When he looked up again, he realized they’d finished at the same time. Each of them had a few fries remaining, but nothing more.
“You must have been hungry,” she said, touching her napkin to the corners of her mouth. “I know I was.”
“Starving,” he agreed. “Maybe once our folks reappear, we can all go out to dinner together.”
“Definitely.” Her quick answer made him exhale. “And Sam should come along. He and I have a lot to catch up on.”
Since there was no way to counter that suggestion without making himself look bad, he nodded. While he hadn’t meant a date, not really, he was actually hoping to get to know her a little better. At least until she went back to California.
Just the thought was enough to put a damper on the moment of brief foolishness he’d allowed himself to entertain. Willow might be beautiful, she might be the most interesting woman he’d met in a long time. Sexy too, he definitely couldn’t forget that.
But she wasn’t going to stay. Which, in years past, might have made her a perfect woman with whom to indulge in a hot and heavy, no-emotional-baggage relationship. Not anymore. While he loved his life, he’d reached the stage where he thought he might be open to something more.
In addition, her mother and his father wouldn’t appreciate their offspring indulging in a no-holds-barred erotic fling. That alone would be enough to counter any temptation.
“Are you okay?” she asked, interrupting his musing.
Blinking, he looked up, glad she couldn’t read his mind. “I’m good,” he replied, his voice a bit husky. “Lunch is on me.”
Just as Willow started to protest, the waitress arrived with the check, as if on cue. They both reached for it at the same time, their fingers colliding. Somehow, Willow managed to come away with it.
“My treat,” she insisted. “After all, you drove. And took pity on an exhausted, overly stressed stranger. I appreciate that more than I can say.”
Her words touched him. Dipping his chin in a rancher’s way of saying thanks, he abandoned any further effort to convince her to let him pay.
“The next one’s on me,” he said instead.
She considered him for a moment. “Deal.”
On their way out, several old-timers stopped them to talk. Unfortunately, none of them had seen his father or her mother in the last couple of days.
He and Willow walked out to his truck without speaking.
After helping her in, he went around to the driver’s side and got in. When she looked at him, he swore he could see the worry in her eyes.
“They’ll show up soon,” he said, feeling quite certain. “And we’ll all have a good laugh over this later.”
“I hope so.” Finally, she sighed. “I’m exhausted. It’s a long drive, and now that I’ve eaten, I can barely keep my eyes open. When I get back to the house, I’m going to take a nap. Hopefully, when I wake up, my mother will be back.”
