Hero Mine (3B Hero Series) Book 3

Chapter 37

**** Kyle barely spared George a glance as he slapped Alex on the back. "I'll meet ya inside pop." And rushed quietly into the house.

George wiped his lips and frowned as he ran his tongue around his mouth. He looked up at Alex, spit a tooth into his hand and held it up to the others. 

"My tooth!" He looked at Alex, "You knocked out my tooth!" He held it out to Beau next, "He...he knocked out my tooth!"

Alex scowled, shook his hand, scooped up a handful of snow and packed it on his wounded knuckles. "Well look what you did to my hand, George! I think you broke a couple of my fingers!"

Gerorge looked at the swelling knuckles and began to stuff the tooth into his shirt pocket but blanched and froze when several weapons were immediately turned toward him.

"I...I was just goin' to put my tooth in my pocket." He stuttered, looking wounded.

"I don't have time for this." The ranch owner growled and turned to Alex and one of the wranglers. You two take our friend here to the greenhouse and hold him there. At least you'll all be warm."

George brightened, "A greenhouse? Ya got any food growin' in there? I'm starving." He looked hopefully at the mem.

Beau's lips twitched, "Sure, George. We got all kinds of food growin' in there. Alex, fix him up with a BLT. You know where everything is. I believe there's even some sodas in the fridge."

He turned to Brick as Alex and the wrangler, flanking George led him toward the greenhouse.

"We left Charity, Michael and several other toddlers in Drina's music room on the second floor. You'll recognize it by the musical notes on the curtains. Such an entrance should be right up your alley. I gotta get in there and watch the Sheriff's six ."

Brick nodded and ran to find the music room, "Copy that, we'll get 'em from both sides."

"Good. Watch out for yourself, son." and dashed into the house. He knew how much Kyle cared for Charity and was also aware how those feelings could cause a man to act prematurely. Once inside, he caught up with the young lawman. Both father and son worked together to clear each room before making their way to the next floor.

***

Brick quickly made his way around to Drina's music room where Beau had stated Charity and several of the babies were. Studying the sides of the house as he hurried along the building. 'Crap. No footholds....Beau did a heck of a job planning this place.'

He looked up to judge the distance to the window and shook his head looking around he smiled, 'Thank you, Drina.' There, against the balcony of the very room Charity and Michael were in stood a huge trellis. He recalled Kyle telling him about how it had taken a harried Beau months to build and reinforce a trellis of such length and intricate designs.

He shook his head and grinned to himself, 'The man's a real hard case with the guys, but a marshmallow with his wife.'

Brick checked the stability of the trellis and began to climb as silently and quickly as possible, swung a leg over the guardrail and pulled his large frame around and onto the balcony. Squating, he listened at the French doors and peeked through the curtains into the room beyond. There was Charity, being held tight against the body of his cousin who had a knife against her throat.

'Leon? What have you done?' Brick wanted to break into the room and knock the man senseless. Unfortunately any sound or movement on his part could be deadly for KB's lady, the man kept the knife razor sharp  and held it much too close. He saw Kyle quickly peak around the door, thankful that the attention of both men were clearly on Charity. Thanks to years of training, both Kyle and his father were able to take in everything in that glance. Brick knew the Sheriff and Beau had their sidearms out and ready. Like himself, they were planning the safest move. Marvin was again pleading for Charity's life.