McCullen's Secret Son (The Heroes Of Horseshoe Creek Book 2) Read Online Free PDF Page A

out.”
    “You don’t know what he’s been doing since?”
    “No, I have no idea.”
    He was obviously in trouble.
    Dammit
. Even though he and his brother were hardly talking, Brett’s first instinct was to call Maddox.
    But that would endanger Willow’s son.
    Besides, Maddox had always been by the book. He’d want to call in the authorities, issue an Amber Alert, all the things they should be doing.
    But if they did those things, Willow’s little boy could end up dead like his father.
    He couldn’t allow that to happen.
    So he made a snap decision. He’d bury Leo’s body and protect Willow until they found Sam.

Chapter Four
    Willow couldn’t drag her eyes away from Leo’s dead body. She couldn’t believe this was happening.
    She’d hated that her marriage had fallen apart, but it hadn’t been right from the beginning. She’d never loved Leo and he knew it.
    And truthfully, she didn’t think he’d ever loved her.
    But she’d been hurt with Brett, and lonely and a single pregnant woman with nowhere to turn. Leo had offered her security and comfort.
    For a little while. Then everything had changed and the charming man who’d swept in like a hero had disappeared and become...someone she was afraid of.
    Someone Sam was afraid of.
    That was when she’d known she had to get out.
    The blood on her hands mocked her. She hadn’t loved Leo but she’d never wished him dead.
    And where was her precious little boy? Was he safe? Hurt? Scared?
    A tremor rippled through her. Of course he was scared. He’d been taken from his home.
    “We’ll bury him on the ranch somewhere,” Brett said. “It’s too dangerous to do it in your neighborhood.”
    Willow rubbed her hands up and down her arms as if to warm herself. “But what about Maddox? He’s the sheriff and...your brother.”
    Brett’s look darkened. “I know that,” Brett said. “I’ll talk to him and explain once we get your little boy back.”
    Willow’s heart constricted. “I’m sorry for putting you in this position, Brett. You could get in trouble with the law. But...I didn’t know who else to call.”
    Brett clasped her arms and forced her to look at him. “Don’t worry about me, Willow. I can handle whatever happens. But we can’t go to Maddox yet. We have to play by this bastard’s rules, until we find Sam.”
    How could she argue with that? She’d give her life for her son’s.
    And if Brett knew that Sam was his, he’d do the same.
    He probably would anyway, just because he was a McCullen. Joe McCullen had taught his boys old-fashioned values, that men were supposed to protect women and children.
    Brett moved over by the bed. “I need to get him in the back of my pickup.”
    “Why? Aren’t we going to bury him in the backyard?”
    “No,” Brett said. “You live in a neighborhood. And if anyone comes asking about Leo and is suspicious, this is the first place they’d look.” He glanced down at the floor and indicated the braided rug. “Let’s wrap him in the sheet and I can use the rug to slide him outside.”
    “But what if a neighbor sees us?”
    Brett’s jaw tightened. “Your house is set far enough back from the road, so unless someone is in the drive, we should be all right. But I’ll move my truck up to the garage and we can go through there just to be safe.”
    Willow agreed, although she knew what they were doing was wrong.
Illegal
. That they could both be charged.
    But nothing mattered now except saving Sam.
    * * *
    B RETT HATED THE FEAR in Willow’s eyes. If he had hold of the bastard who had hurt her and taken her little boy, he’d pound his head in.
    He started to roll Leo in the sheet, but doubts hit him. He’d seen enough crime shows to know that as soon as he touched the man or the bedding, he was contaminating evidence. Evidence that could lead to the killer and the person who had abducted Sam.
    Besides, he’d gotten in a sticky situation once. Had been accosted by the jealous lover of a rodeo groupie