Four Square: Yellowstone Investigations, #4

By Clara Kendrick

This fourth book in the series, with over 79,000 words of romantic suspense, tells the story of Ariana and Paco… 

 

Ariana: Father and son outings are one thing. I'm pretty sure my brother brought my father to Yellowstone National Park so he can commit murder. Too bad nobody believes me. Not even the helicopter pilot I hired truly thinks I know what I'm talking about. At least he's nice enough to listen, even when we get to my brother's campsite and find both Adam and my father are just fine. There's a game here. I know it. But I don't know what it is.

 

Paco: I can't put my finger on exactly what's going on with this family. They're rich, and maybe that's why they're so weird. But there's something happening here, and Ariana is convinced that her brother is about to commit murder. Maybe my job is to make sure she doesn't get herself killed trying to do what's right.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Clara Kendrick
• Release date: May 15, 2018
• ISBN: 9798224635054

Clara Kendrick

Discover the captivating world of Clara Kendrick's romantic suspense. With her masterful storytelling and skillful blend of intrigue, romance, and passion, Kendrick draws readers in and keeps them hooked until the very end. Get ready to be swept away by her thrilling and steamy tales of love and suspense. Signup and follow at: Books2read.com/ClaraKendrick Facebook.com/AuthorClaraKendrick

Book preview

Chapter One

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Paco Ortiz scrolled through the employment ads on his laptop and tried to glare the computer into submission. The problem with trying to find a new job was that Paco was a search and rescue helicopter pilot living in one of the smallest communities in America. There just weren’t a lot of jobs out there for a slightly used chopper pilot in his mid—okay, his late thirties—who had no college degree and hadn’t ever really lived anywhere but southern Montana. Of course it didn’t help that he didn’t actually want to move. He liked Wildcat, Montana. There were just some really weird things going on in his current company.

What are you doing? Shawn Rourke appeared in front of Paco’s desk. He craned his neck over the top of the computer to see the screen. Hey, did you find anything?

Anything what? Paco slammed the laptop closed. I don’t know what you’re talking about.

Yes, you do! Shawn tilted his head to one side and pursed his lips.

At six feet tall and with dark red hair and unusually tanned skin for a redhead, Shawn Rourke always had a smile on his face and a gleam in his blue eyes. He was one of Paco’s favorite people. But if anyone could understand why Paco would be looking for a new job, it would be Shawn. In Paco’s opinion, Shawn should have been looking for a new job too.

Come on, Shawn, Paco said quietly. "You have to know that things are getting bad around here. Two weeks ago your newspaper reporter girlfriend was nearly murdered multiple times in a hospital. Her boss was conducting experiments in torture and then murdering the victims. Paco shook his head. He was still having trouble wrapping his mind around what had happened in the quiet tranquility that was Yellowstone National Park. That lunatic bullied and manipulated a man who worked for him into disposing of the bodies!"

You know, I’m still a bit unclear as to how poor Lenny Owens was able to operate heavy machinery, drive, and pretty much do the job of henchman for Jonathan Winters in the first place.

You didn’t grow up here, Paco muttered. He leaned back in his chair and shoved his fingers through his wiry, short black hair. Lenny is a local. He’s actually a whiz with anything mechanical and he’s probably a better driver than most of the other people living out—Paco waved his hand—"you know, out as in way out. Lenny is a good guy. He got taken advantage of by someone who should have known better. And out here in the boonies we issue what’s called a limited license to drive. It means that you can only go a certain radius from home."

That’s insane. Shawn perched on the edge of Paco’s desk. But all of that is over. You should be happy. They’re talking about Lenny getting a seriously reduced sentence, like probation.

"And that’s supposed to make me feel better? Paco groaned and rubbed both hands down his face. The guy was torching bodies in geyser runoff to hide their identities! Before that we had some crazy woman arranging the abduction of children. Then there was the whole thing with the body that was magically discovered after twenty years of being stuck underneath a mineral deposit."

Okay. So you’re actually just talking about life as an investigator, Shawn mused. He was nodding and looking for all the world like he had suddenly morphed into a therapist.

Paco was trying not to go all the way. He didn’t want to say the words that were running through his mind. Look. I like Yellowstone Investigations. Okay? I like it here. I like you and Dallas and even Xander and his obsession with horses. I’ve known those two my whole life. It’s—I don’t want to talk about this.

It’s Callum.

Shawn’s quiet words were exactly what Paco was trying to avoid. He stood up and turned his back to Shawn. You were in that cave under the bridge with me. You heard what Callum said. You heard what Deputy Varek said. There’s something weird going on with Callum.

Callum was Callum Mackenzie, the owner and manager of Yellowstone Investigations and a former FBI agent. But the men who worked for him were learning that there was far more to their enigmatic and often surly boss than he was willing to discuss.

Shawn exhaled a huge sigh. Then he made a low noise and from the corner of his eye Paco could see Shawn shrugging as though he felt about as helpless as Paco did. Callum is a guy with secrets. We all are. Aren’t we? Don’t we all have issues and things that we would rather keep secret?

No. Paco shook his head. I have nothing to hide.

Nothing? Shawn chided. That’s impressive.

I don’t hide things, Paco insisted. He hated it when people acted as though he did. I learned a long time ago that it never pays to hide things. They just come back to bite you in the ass.

Shawn held up his hands in mock surrender Fine. You don’t hide things. The rest of us do. It’s human nature.

Callum is hiding something big. Paco made a vague gesture to the front of the building where Shawn’s office was located. It’s huge. It’s pervasive. And it’s going to swallow all of us alive. I saw that composition book full of crazy notes about psychological torture and interrogation techniques. I heard what Deputy Varek said about Callum and his job in the FBI. I heard what he said about our local FBI guy Agent Horace Max too. Max and Callum are involved in some epic battle that has apparently been going on for years. Years, Shawn. Paco shook his head. I don’t want to take that sort of chance. I don’t want to get caught up in the middle of whatever they have going on.

You’re not caught up in anything. Shawn sounded almost exasperated.

Shawn actually rolled his eyes like a teenager. Somehow this did not make Paco feel any better. Why did nobody else see that all of this secrecy was just bad mojo? Nobody wanted to be forthright. When Callum Mackenzie had first contacted Paco about a job, Paco had been completely upfront. He had never lied. He had never tried to mislead anyone about his abilities, his loyalties, his past, or what he wanted for the future. Right now Callum was misleading them all and everyone was just letting him get away with it.

Well, Paco wasn’t on board with that.

I don’t want to talk about this anymore. Paco reopened his laptop and began perusing the job ads. Maybe he would stop worrying about his pilot’s license. Maybe that wasn’t as important as he had thought. He could eventually volunteer with the med evac unit as a sub or an on-call pilot. That would give him a chance to get into a job slot when one opened up.

Shawn was still standing in the doorway. Paco studiously ignored him. He really did not want to deal with this crap right now. The sight of that cave under the bridge over the Firehole River was still far too fresh in Paco’s mind. He thought of the restraints and the obvious signs of torture and complete wrongdoing. He had a strong desire to see Jonathan Winters—former editor of the Yellowstone Bugle—hang for whatever crimes he had committed in that horrible place. Nobody deserved to believe that they were somehow above the laws of decency. Nobody.

Ahem.

Go away, Paco murmured without looking up.

Shawn sighed. He was leaning against the doorjamb as though he had no intention of leaving anytime soon. I actually came back here to tell you that Callum asked you to get the helicopter ready. Apparently we have a paying customer.

A case? Paco frowned. It wasn’t like their office offered helicopter rides to tourists. Paco had never encountered a situation where Callum had asked him just to take the chopper up in the air for no reason. Do we have an active case I don’t know about?

I don’t know the details. Shawn didn’t seem like he cared either. Was the guy so stuck in la la land with his new girlfriend that he didn’t even have time to use his brain? Callum just asked that you come out front so he can introduce you to the client.

Paco was tempted to say no. Why should he have to go out there like some kind of prancing pony on display? He wasn’t up for sale or rent. He was a pilot. He took a Bell Jet Ranger into the air on a regular basis in order to aid in search and rescue efforts. He could only handle perhaps two passengers in a pinch. The chopper wasn’t even capable of running actual rescue missions. Paco was the guy who relayed the info to the men on the ground whether they be on horseback or climbing their way to a peak. There was a bigger helicopter that flew out of Cody and another out of Bozeman that did their fair share of rescues off the top of the plentiful mountain peaks scattered across the unforgiving terrain.

Fine. Paco slammed the laptop closed and shoved away from his desk. I’ll go meet his client, and then maybe I’ll just quit. That will probably make a splash. Do you think Callum would get the message that I disapprove of all of his secrecy, double talk, double dealing, and the other bullshit that seems to be so pervasive in this office?

I think that would certainly get his attention, Shawn said drily. Then he laughed. Just get your ass out there. You’ll go get in the helicopter and once you’re in the air you’ll forget about the rest of this crap.

Not this time, Paco promised himself.

But as he walked out to the reception area of their office, he could not help but think that Shawn knew him a little too well. Paco loved to fly. It was one of the things that kept him in this job even when he didn’t like the way Callum Mackenzie did business.

Paco needed to get some backbone. There would be other flying jobs. Maybe he could even find some kind of work that would allow him to finish fixing up the old helicopter he had purchased to rehab all those years ago. Having his own aircraft would open his options considerably. He would then become like Dallas Masterson with his scent dogs or Xander Allen with his mountain horses. They had control over their lives and their involvement in the business because they actually owned the objects of their specialty.

Paco didn’t own the helicopter. Callum Mackenzie did.

As Paco rounded the corner of the hallway he spotted Holly sitting at her desk in the reception area as always. The woman was grouchy as hell sometimes, but she was amazing at her job. Nobody could ever say she didn’t do her work or make sure that the office ran like clockwork. And as the single mom of a little girl, Holly didn’t have an easy time of it. Wildcat, Montana, wasn’t the most convenient place to be a single mom.

Hey, Paco. Holly gave him a tight-lipped smile and then jerked her chin toward the far corner of the reception room. "His highness is right there with the new client. Or shall I say potential client."

Potential client? Paco frowned. What’s going on?

I don’t know. Holly murmured the words, but she barely moved her lips in doing so. I know that the woman is very wealthy. That’s all I know.

How do you know that? It seemed like a pretty odd thing for a receptionist to just toss out there as a matter of conversation. Did she provide an income statement or something?

No. She plunked down five thousand dollars in cash on my desk and then told me there was plenty more where that came from if we would just fly her out to find her father. Holly patted her desk drawer. I really feel like I want to go to the bank right now. But that’s over in Big Sky.

Paco snorted. Maybe I’ll fly you over.

Oh, hell no. I would ruin the upholstery. Holly shook her head emphatically. I went up on a chopper once and I thought I was going to be ill almost immediately.

Paco sighed. Some people hated that dizzying feeling. It was actually one of the things he liked the most. But that didn’t matter right now. He needed to mosey on over to where he could see Callum speaking in a very solicitous and serious fashion with a woman whose back was to Paco.

Feeling exactly like a pony being trotted out for inspection, Paco moved toward Callum and his visitor. Callum, Shawn said you needed to speak with me.

Yes. Callum turned and smiled pleasantly at Paco. Paco, I would like you to meet Ariana Abajo de Baca. Ariana has come to the park to find her father.

Is he missing? Paco was confused. There was a sense of urgency, but not in the usual way.

Then the woman turned to offer Paco a tight little smile. He swallowed as the full force of her looks hit him right in the gut. She was absolutely beautiful. Her dark hair was short and formed loose curls that framed her face and created an attractive frame for her classic features. She had a tiny nose and wide-spaced brown eyes. Her skin was perfect and only slightly tanned as though she were used to being out in the sun, but not enough to ever burn her sweetness.

The woman was dressed in designer jeans, brown leather fashion boots that went up to her knees, and a cream-colored sweater over a peach camisole. She was carrying a purse and she looked as though she were on her way to some kind of social function and not a national park. She was beautiful. She had a gorgeous smile. And she actually looked friendly enough. But there was no way in hell that Paco was taking this woman up in his helicopter. He didn’t want to be anywhere near her. She had dangerous written all over her, and for a guy like Paco it was a warning he intended to heed.

Ms. Abajo de Baca needs a lift to West Thumb in order to find her father and her brother. Callum made it sound like the most reasonable request in the world.

It was quite a distance. There was no way to get there quickly in a car. And yet it made no sense why the woman needed a lift in the helicopter for such an innocuous trip. Paco frowned and shrugged at Callum. I’m not sure why you need a helicopter pilot to fly you to West Thumb. There’s a perfectly good road that goes down there. If you really need to find the guy, call the ranger station. I’m sure Ranger Glen at Mammoth Hot Springs would be happy to get in touch with Ranger Jed down at Grant Village.

There. That should make Paco’s opinion on the topic perfectly clear. Of course, it did not explain why Callum now looked as though he were about to reach out and wring Paco’s neck. But maybe Callum Mackenzie was just going to have to be disappointed for once. In Paco’s opinion, it was his turn.

Chapter Two

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Ariana Abajo de Baca clenched her teeth together and attempted to calm down before she exploded and absolutely went off on this arrogant prick! What was his problem? It wasn’t like she wasn’t willing to pay? He had a helicopter. She had money. Simple. He should be willing to take her wherever she wanted to go. It was what people often referred to as a no brainer.

Obviously, Mr. Mackenzie had the same thought about his employee. The man’s face was turning a very dark and angry shade of red beneath his thick black beard. He apparently realized that Ariana had a right to purchase the use of his helicopter just like anyone else who came to his business. But Mr. Mackenzie, it seemed, did not have good control over his employees. Ariana would have never allowed one of her staff members or anyone in her employ to behave in such a way!

Paco, Mr. Mackenzie began in a very slow and measured voice, I need you to fly Ms. Abajo de Baca to West Thumb. I don’t want to talk about the roads. She needs to find her father. She wants to do it in a hasty fashion. She flew into Bozeman a few hours ago. They told her that we had a helicopter because they did not have one that could offer her any sort of service to West Thumb.

That’s typically because the use of a helicopter is for emergencies only, the man named Paco said flatly.

He wasn’t an unattractive man. As nasty as he was acting, Ariana almost expected him to have horns and a tail. Instead he was rather short compared to Mr. Mackenzie’s six foot height; he was perhaps five foot ten. He was broad shouldered and barrel-chested. He looked solid as a rock. Of course, he also looked to be an absolute product of his obvious Mexican heritage with his deeply tanned dark skin, his thick wiry black hair, and those deep dark eyes. Even the beard was thick and showing a five o’clock shadow at ten o’clock in the morning.

Mr. Ortiz, Ariana said in a very calm voice. Because she could be totally calm when she needed to be. It was one of her best qualities actually. She was very much in control of her emotions. My father is in very great danger. My brother has proposed this fishing trip as a way for the two of them to bond. And while I feel absolutely no need to explain the particulars of their relationship, I can tell you that my brother’s intentions are not good. I believe he intends to murder my father in order to gain control of the estate.

For some reason, Ariana expected Paco Ortiz to sit up and take notice after this explanation of why he should take notice. This was a big deal, was it not? But Paco Ortiz only gave her a measured and very skeptical look.

What? Ariana demanded after perhaps thirty seconds of this rudeness. You’re staring at me as though you believe I’m some kind of liar.

Are you? Paco Ortiz narrowed his dark gaze. Is your concern for your father or for the possibility that your brother might be trying to cut you out of the will? I find it difficult to think that a man would lure his father out here for a fishing trip in order to murder him.

It’s true! Ariana was stunned. This man was questioning her veracity? Really? This man? This man who looked like every thug from the old neighborhood where her grandparents still lived? You dare to doubt my word?

Excuse me, ma’am, but I don’t know you. Paco Ortiz tossed his chin in Mr. Mackenzie’s direction. And since he’s not exactly the paragon of virtue or honesty, I find it difficult to believe anything that comes associated with him.

Oh.

Ariana turned to stare at Mr. Mackenzie. He wasn’t actually saying anything at all. How odd. What kind of man would not even attempt to defend his integrity? Did he have none? At the moment Ariana was beginning to wonder since he hadn’t even flinched at the accusation.

Paco, Mr. Mackenzie said quietly. That is between me and you. It has nothing to do with Ms. Abajo de Baca.

No. But the woman just paid you five thousand dollars in cash. Money talks, Callum. I don’t think you’d turn down that amount of hard cash for anything. Even a fool’s errand.

What do you care? Mc. Mackenzie exhaled a long slow breath. What does it matter if any of us are lying? You’re employed to fly my helicopter. I’m paying you to fly it. I have a job for you. She paid. That makes it quite simple, don’t you think?

The flash of rage that crossed Paco Ortiz’s features suggested to Ariana that it wasn’t simple at all. In fact, Ariana was suddenly feeling as though she had stumbled into the middle of something that she did not at all understand.

If he doesn’t want to fly me to West Thumb, Ariana began quickly. Then I’ll find someone else.

There is no one else, Paco Ortiz said quietly. Give me five minutes to do my pre-flight and I’ll take you. He shook his index finger at her. But you’d better not be lying. I’m not getting in the middle of some family squabble over money.

"I would never... Ariana was outraged, but trailed off as she realized this was probably a very common theme in most families. Perhaps she needed to be more understanding and less judgmental of others in general. I swear this is not a ruse. I have no ulterior motives. I want to save my father from my brother’s machinations."

Machinations, Paco Ortiz snorted. For goodness sake. I’ll see you on the right side of the building in five minutes.

Ariana watched Paco Ortiz stride away without another word to Mr. Mackenzie. She could see that Mr. Mackenzie didn’t seemed bothered by this at all. He did not look surprised or irritated in the least. He merely offered Ariana a warm smile and seemed to return to the over solicitous man trying to sell her services as he had been earlier.

Ariana forced herself to take a step back and look at Mr. Callum Mackenzie from a completely different perspective. She tried to view him as though she were contemplating doing actual business with him. Ariana and her family were in the wine business. They owned and operated a whole slew of vineyards in California. Ariana herself was in charge of the merchandising aspect of the business.

If she had been contemplating the purchase of some kind of product from Mr. Mackenzie, what would her comfort level be about the honesty of this man? It was a bit of a surprise to Ariana that she could not say for any certainty that she would trust him. She had been so eager to have his attention and his immediate agreement to take her to West Thumb in order to find her father and brother. But if Ariana were honest, she would have to admit that her eagerness was mostly due to the idea that she wanted so badly to find her father. She was willing to ignore her better judgment and her instincts because she needed something on a visceral level that did not adhere to her normal standards of honesty and upfront disclosure.

I’m sorry about Paco’s impertinence, Callum Mackenzie said in a mild tone of voice that suggested he wasn’t sorry at all. He’s a wonderful pilot and an upstanding man. You’ll be safe with him.

You believe that. Ariana could tell that this was true. But you don’t really care.

His dark brows rose, but his beard was so thick and bushy that she could not even begin to tell what his expression might be. Pardon me?

You heard me. Ariana shook her head. She gestured to the front desk and the woman with the brittle smile who had taken her money. "You were happy enough for the cash. Anyone running a business in such a remote location would be. I would imagine that business opportunities and customers are not quite as ready here as they were wherever you came from. But you don’t actually care if I’m satisfied with the results of my excursion. Once the service is delivered,