Hot On Her Trail - Hell Yeah 2 Page 4

  We do not have any contact information for Ms. Montgomery, other than what you see below. She is no longer at the address we were given, nor is her telephone number in service. To protect you, no information other than your name was given to Ms. Montgomery. If she chooses to get in contact with you, it will be at her own volition. We apologize for any embarrassment or inconvenience this will cause you. Be aware that under state law you are in no way responsible for this child. If a situation arises whereby Ms. Montgomery approaches you about the child, we encourage you to insist upon a neo-natal paternity test.

  We realize that you will have legitimate questions and concerns. Our administrator and legal counsel are awaiting your call. To you, again, we owe our sincerest apologies. Mistakes like this are truly unfortunate, but due to the human factor – correcting them is not always an easy task.

  Sincerely

  Horace Brown

  Director of Austin Cryobank

  Jacob was stunned! A child! Somewhere, there was a woman who may be carrying his child! He looked at her name again. Jessie Montgomery. There wasn’t a doubt in his mind – he had to find her! He might not be responsible under state law, but that didn’t make a damn bit of difference to him. Immediately, he called the PI firm that his family kept on retainer. Trahan was out on a case, so he gave all the information the letter contained to Roscoe, one of the other partners. He was assured that Roscoe would be in contact with all parties involved and gather all the information that he could find. Jacob felt better, if anybody could find Jessie Montgomery, Roscoe could.

  After setting the ball to rolling, Jacob couldn't be still. Now, there were two women that he would give his eyeteeth to find – one might be carrying his child, but the other had made off with a little piece of his heart.

  Grabbing the letter off the desk, Jacob headed off to find Aron. He needed to talk to his big brother.

  Nathan was excited. A swim party with girls was a big deal. He didn’t know if he would actually swim, but he had brought his trunks. Most likely, he would stand around with the other guys and watch the girls swim. Standing up, he pumped his bicycle up the low grade of the small hill. Topping it, he was surprised to see a woman walking down the side of the highway. She had long, dark hair that was hanging down in a braid, like an Indian girl. As Nathan got closer, he realized that this was the girl he had seen that morning taking a swim “Hey! Wait up!” he called out. When she stopped and turned around, Nathan braked to a stop next to her. “I know you!” he said with a friendly smile.

  “Nathan, isn’t it?” Jessie couldn’t help but smile right back. Nathan McCoy was as cute as a bug. There was a definite family resemblance. He had the same thick, dark hair and sea blue eyes as his brothers. She wondered if her baby would look like a McCoy. She certainly hoped so. Jessie knew her own limitations. They had been pointed out to her often enough. Jessie had no illusions about her looks. She was plain of face and her curves were too generous to attract a man.

  “Yeah. What’s your name?” He looked at her with such a friendly expression that she felt like she had known him for a long time.

  “My name is Jessie Montgomery.” He held out his hand and she took it. He shook it firmly, just like a little man.

  “Where are you headed?” he got back on his bike and they began to slowly move forward.

  “I’m going into town to hunt a job.”

  “Really? What were you doing at our house this morning?”

  Jesse thought about how to answer, but she decided that being as truthful as possible was always the best plan. “I came to meet Jacob.”

  “He really enjoyed meeting you,” Nathan knew that repeating what Jacob had said, verbatim, wouldn’t be the gentlemanly thing to do.

  Jesse didn’t know what to say. Since they hadn't actually been introduced, Jessie knew that Jacob had to have mentioned their unorthodox encounter to the family. Nathan let her step ahead when they came to the bridge over the Guadalupe River. It was much narrower than the actual road, and Jessie glanced back to check the traffic. What she saw made her heart go up in her throat. A pickup pulling a trailer was closing in on them. A hay bailer attachment on the trailer was sticking too far out on the side; it hadn’t been loaded or secured properly.

  “Nathan watch out!” she screamed. But it was too late. The truck and trailer whizzed by and the farm implement clipped Nathan. In the next breath it glanced off of her – not nearly as hard as it had hit Jacob – but hard enough to make her lose her balance and be pushed too far to the right to stay on her feet. In one broad, horrific motion both her and Nathan and even his bike were swept off the bridge. Jesse felt herself falling. She screamed, still trying to keep her eye on the young boy that had been hit first.

  Afraid for her baby, she wanted to cry and scream. God, she had to keep her head about her. It felt like they fell forever, but she knew it was only a split second. Hitting the water, she plunged to the bottom – the shock of it shooting through her body like razor blades. Flailing, she tried to get control of her equilibrium and make her way to the surface. This was not how she wanted to die! She had too much to live for – her baby – for Jacob.

  Jessie knew her feelings were instinctive and instantaneous. Everything in her heart was boiling to the forefront. Breaking the surface, Jessie fought for air, frantically looking around to see if she could find Nathan. Nowhere. He was nowhere. Lord, where was Nathan? A patch of red on the water downstream caught her eye. Oh, Lord – it was him. He was facedown – spread eagle in a typical dead man’s float.

  “Nathan! Nathan!” Ignoring the twinges of pain, she swam to him. Turning him over, she tried to find a pulse or determine if he was breathing. He wasn’t. No! No! Putting her arm around his neck, she towed him to the shore, gritting her teeth at the discomfort in her side where the piece of steel had hit her. Everything she did was being fueled by mad rushes of adrenaline. Pulling him up on the bank, Jessie began CPR. She cleared his mouth and began breathing for him, while doing chest compressions. “Come on, Nathan. Breathe. Please,” she begged.

  “Are you two all right?” a older man came down the embankment. He was calling 911 as he ran. “Isn’t that the McCoy boy?”

  Jessie didn’t take time to answer. It was more important that Nathan breathe. With a gasp and a choke, he spit up water and took a gulping breath Jessie offered up a heartfelt prayer. Thank God. Another person ran down the embankment. She scooted back, letting someone else check Nathan’s condition. The first man came over to her. “Are you hurt? I saw you both get sideswiped and I couldn’t believe that fool didn’t even slow down. When you went over the side, I thought you were both goners for sure. You saved that little boy’s life – I know the McCoy’s are going to be very grateful.” With that, he returned to the roadside to wait on the ambulance.

  Holding her side, she knelt down, trying to breathe through her own fear and panic. There were no cramps, though – for that, she was eternally grateful. Sitting down she got very still and waited. Finally, she felt a tiny little kick. She let out a sigh. Her baby was okay.

  “Jessie?” Nathan croaked out her name.

  Getting up slowly, she went to him. Sitting beside him on the ground, Jessie took his hand. “I’m so sorry this happened to you.” she pushed his damp hair back from his face. “You’re going to be just fine.”

  “That man said you saved my life. Thanks.” Tears threatened to spill from Jessie’s eyes. When she heard the sirens, she knew it was time to pull herself together. She couldn't afford to let the EMT's take her to the hospital. The McCay’s had already dropped her from their insurance plan. Kissing Nathan on the head she said her goodbyes “I’m going to go sit over to one side and catch my breath. Take care of yourself and I’ll see you around.”

  Somehow, she had managed to hang on to her small duffle bag. Thank God, it was waterproof. Now, if she could just find some type of shelter so she could get out of these wet clothes. Stepping slowly and carefully, Jessie walked up the embankment and turne
d toward town once more. Looking back down at Nathan, she was glad to see that he was being taken care of. No one noticed that she left, they were all concerned about Nathan. Jessie didn’t mind, she was used to being invisible. Because of her bedraggled condition, she stayed well off the road, hoping no one would notice her.

  “Aron, I need to talk to you.” Jacob sat down in front of Aron’s big oak desk.

  “What can I do you for, Deuce?” This time, Jacob didn’t even mind the worrisome nickname. Being the number two son wasn’t so bad, but as far as nicknames go, he much preferred the one that the Texas Cowgirl Sorority over in Austin had penned on him after they had seen him wrestle down a thirteen hundred pound steer during a bulldogging exhibition. They called him Texas Torque because of his massive chest and arm muscles. Of all the brothers, Jacob was the biggest – and he was damn proud of it.

  “I’ve got a situation.”

  Aron sat up, this didn’t sound good. “What kind of situation?”

  “Do you remember when I stored my sperm over in that Cryobank in Austin?”

  Aron crossed his arms over his chest, wondering where this was going. “Yeah, just in case you damaged your swimmers in some type of accident. I remember.”

  “Anyway, I got an official letter from them today. It seems they might have made a mistake and used my sperm to impregnate a woman who was supposed to be a surrogate mother for this couple named McCay. Apparently, they intended to use the husband’s sperm and the surrogate’s egg – but mine got in the mix, instead.”

  Aron had leaned forward more with each word. “Holy Crap! Do you mean to tell me that there‘s a little McCoy floating around out there somewhere?”

  “Yeah, it's possible that I’m going to be a father. The Cryobank has tried to contact the surrogate to give her my information, but they haven’t been able to locate her.” Jacob was talking fast, his heart rate had probably gone out of sight. “I don’t know what the parent’s lawyers told her. I’m worried, Aron. Something doesn’t seem right.”

  “Boy, you’ve got to be careful.” Aron warned him. “This woman could come in and try to take everything you’ve got. First thing you do, when you find her – you better make damn sure that baby is yours. If they can’t keep up with their man juice any better than that over at the Cryobank, you can’t trust anything those people say. That baby might not even be yours.” Aron was getting angry. This wasn’t the reaction that Jacob had been looking for. For some insane reason, he was filled with hope and anticipation, not suspicion and remorse.

  Aron‘s words worried Jacob. Frowning, he found himself on the defensive. “The letter said that, by law, I’m not responsible for the child. But I feel responsible.” Jacob protested. “If the child is mine, I want to know it. Hell, I want to hold it and talk to it and watch it grow. Shit! I don’t know why I’m telling you all of this. I guess, I just wanted you to know.” Jacob wasn't in the mood for dire warnings.

  “I think you ought to go down to that sperm bank and make a permanent and complete withdrawal. If they’re going to be handing your sperm out willy-nilly – it don’t need to be there."

  "You may be right about that. Anyway, I've called Roscoe to help me locate Jessie Montgomery and I've called Zane to advise me on the legal aspects." Jacob took off his Stetson and scrubbed his face with his hand. "I'm worried about my baby, Aron." At Aron's skeptical look, Jacob felt the need to explain. "I know, I know – this morning I didn't even know the baby existed. And I know it's not the same situation as you and Libby. You have a baby on the way, but the mother of your child is the love of your life." He wasn't getting any argument from Aron on those valid points. "Still, if it's my child – I want it. I want it to be safe and I want the mother of my child to be safe. Can you understand that?"

  Aron sat up and blew out a long breath. "Yea, I understand. What can I do?" The phone jangling at his right hand almost startled them. "Aron McCoy speaking." Jacob watched Aron's face – it went from interested, to intent, to anxious – all in a matter of seconds. "We'll be right there." Aron stood up and started moving. "Come on. There's been an accident – it's Nathan."

  Aron called out an alarm to Libby as they went out the door. Her horrified face said it all. "Tell Joseph, then call Noah and Isaac and let them know. Tell them that I'll phone you just as soon as I know anything. They say he's alive – but that's all I know."

  Both men ran across the yard to Aron's King Ranch like the devil himself was after them. "Talk to me, Aron." Jacob commanded.

  "It happened right under our noses – just a mile or so down the road. Some nut side-swiped him and knocked him and his bike off the bridge and into the Guadalupe. He almost drowned. Somebody at the scene gave him CPR – they're supposedly working on him right now."

  "Merciful God," Jacob breathed prayerfully as they sped down the road, breaking the speed limit without a thought. As reported, there were a half dozen cars and an ambulance pulled over next to the river bridge. Aron swung the truck over on the side of the road and they were out of it almost before it came to a full stop. Racing down the embankment, they were relieved to see that Nathan was sitting up. "Hey, Buddy," Jacob went right to him and knelt down.

  "What happened, Sport?" Aron elbowed his way through the crowd – not hearing anything anyone had to say. His full attention was focused on their baby brother.

  Nathan turned a grateful face up to his brothers, "I almost drowned!" He was way too cheerful about it, Jacob thought. "We were walking across the bridge, just talking – when this truck came too close and knocked us both into the water. I don't remember nothing else, until I woke up coughing. She saved my life, Jacob."

  "That's right. I saw it all," Jacob looked up to see Clarence Townsend crowding in to put his two cents in. "This idiot clipped them both; your boy first and then that little lady. When I got to the edge where I could see, she was already towing him to the bank. She gave him CPR, but I saw her holding her side. She didn't get off without a good lick, at the very least."

  Nathan was shaking – Jacob realized he must be in shock. "Will you find her, Jacob? Please?"

  "You need to take it easy, Nate. It's you that we're concerned about." Jacob intended to help and thank whoever saved his brother's life, but right now, Nathan was more important. At his brother's insistent look, Jacob relented. "Don't worry, Nathan. I'll look for your friend. But first, we've got to get you in the ambulance and on the way to the hospital to have you checked out."

  Aron stood and began talking to the EMT's and to Kane Saucier, the sheriff, who had just arrived at the scene. Kane had sent out an APB on the reckless driver after getting a description of the truck from Townsend.

  Jacob pushed Nathan's damp hair out of his eyes. While they were waiting, he would find out what he could about Nathan’s friend. "Who were you walking with, Nathan? Can you tell me her name?" Jacob looked around for a woman, but there wasn't one in the crowd.

  "It was the mermaid, Jacob. She saved my life, she gave me CPR." At those words, he had Jacob's full and complete attention.

  "Are you sure?" Jacob stood up and looked around, wanting desperately to find the elusive woman who had pulled Nathan from the river.

  "Yes. She has to be here somewhere. I just talked to her a few minutes ago. Earlier, she said she was walking into town to find a job. She knew your name, Jacob. She said that she had come here to find you."

  Hope, wonder, and curiosity all vied for a premier position in his heart. So, her presence in the barn this morning hadn’t been a coincidence. She had looking for him – not Isaac – not Noah – not Joseph – him. Why? He didn’t know. But, he certainly wanted to find out. “What was her name, Nathan? Did you get her name?" He had hopes that at least one of his mysteries would soon be solved. In a few moments, he might get to meet his Angel of the Morning.

  "Her name was Jessie Montgomery."

  As Nathan's simple statement sank in, Jacob felt the world shift under his feet. He looked up toward heaven and thanked God for answered
prayers.

  Aron finished his conversation and knelt back down by his brother. "You need to quit running off at the mouth, bud, and rest awhile.”

  “All right.” He looked over at Jacob for confirmation. “You’ll find her for me won’t you, Jacob?”

  “I’ll find her for both of us, Nate.” And that was a promise he would move heaven and earth to keep.

  Jacob looked everywhere. He asked every one. They all remembered seeing her, but they didn't know where she went. Not even the EMT's had tried to keep up with her. From what Nathan and Clarence Townsend had said she could be in pain. Why wasn't someone looking after her? Returning to the river, he found that Nathan was being loaded into the ambulance. Aron met him, "They think he's gonna be just fine, they're just taking him in to be sure. Did you find the girl?"

  Jacob was worried. He didn't stop to explain to Aron about the identity of Nathan's savior – there just wasn't time. "No, I'm going to walk over that rise and see if I can see her."

  Throwing Jacob the keys to his truck, Aron crawled in the ambulance with Nathan. "You take the King Ranch. Call me if you find her. I'll call everybody else and tell them Nathan's status."

  Not waiting till the ambulance left, Jacob took off to find Jessie. Jessie. He knew her name. Overcome with emotion, he marveled over the fact that the girl in the barn and the mother of his child might be the same person. Frantic with worry for her and the baby, he began to run. Scanning the area from left to right, he saw a small copse of trees – and if he wasn't imagining things – something was moving in them and it was definitely shaped like a female.