And, as he crossed the meadow and drew closeto the Brandt house, his day got abruptly worse.
Will’s SUV was gone.
He broke into a slow and painful jog,although he wasn’t sure why he was running. The Land Cruiser wasnot there. It wasn’t a trick of the light or a problem with hiseyes. The Toyota was missing.
He came to a stop where it had been parked,breathing hard, staring stupidly at the tracks in the dryingsoil.
“I don’t believe it.”
But he did. As much as he’d have liked totell himself he was dreaming, the drops of blood landing on theground next to his boots seemed to indicate otherwise. He wiped hisnose again, turned away and continued up the hill, up the stairs,and let himself into the house.
Inside, it was hushed and quiet. Empty.
Taylor walked back to Will’s bedroom. Will’skeys were no longer lying on top of the bureau.
He was finishing his phone call to theSheriff’s Department when the Brandts returned, noisily troopingin, flushed with sun and wind, smelling of fish and river water,talking at the top of their voices and sending the jagged painbehind his eyes spiking.
“Hey, you’re here,” Will greeted him inevident surprise. “I thought you’d gone into t —” He stopped, tooka closer look. “What the hell happened to you?”
“Your Cousin Dennis.”
“What are you talking about? What happened?”Will dropped his knapsack and went to Taylor. He put his hands oneither side of Taylor’s face, tilting his head back. “Hepunched you?”
“Not exactly.”
“What exactly?”
Bill Brandt said in a hard voice, “Where isDennis?”
“Gone.”
“Gone?” He got it from all three ofthem at the same time. They could have started their own barbershop quartet. Well, trio.
Taylor focused his ire on Grant, who waslooking at him like he’d crawled out from under a bush.Technically, he had, but that expression didn’t exactly warmhim to Will’s kid brother. Under the heat of his return glare,Grant reddened.
Taylor said, “Yes. Gone. Long story short.He’s on the run.”
Of course, no way were the Brandts going toaccept the Reader’s Digest version, and Taylor had to goback and give the whole embarrassing play by play.
“Jeb and Tobe Dooley were here?” Bill’s facewas thunderous.
Jeb and Tobe. Will had grown up inDeliverance, USA.
“There were three of them. I didn’t catchtheir first names,” Taylor said.
“You didn’t think you should keep an eye onCousin Dennis?” Grant said. “You just left him to walk out?”
“Hey,” Will growled, turning to face hisbrother.
“You two knock it off,” Bill said. “I’vegotta call Clary Bennett at the Marshal’s Service.”
“Bill, I reported Will’s car stolen to theSheriff’s Department,” Taylor said.
“Oh great! Why would you do that?” Grantdemanded.
“Because my car’s been stolen!” Willsaid.
“It didn’t occur to him that Cousin Dennishas to fly under the radar?”
“Since when are you an expert on witnessprotection? It looks to me like Cousin Dennis has decided to takehis chances in the no-fly zone.”
“You done with that phone, son?” Bill askedTaylor, ignoring the debate in the background.
Taylor nodded and handed over the phone. Hepicked up the chunk of towel-wrapped ice and placed it gingerlyagainst the bridge of his nose.
“You okay?” Will asked.
Taylor nodded.
Grant made a sound of repugnance and walkedout of the kitchen.
Will turned, as though to go after him.“Forget about it,” Taylor said.
“I don’t think I want to forget aboutit.”
“Can you boys give me a minute?” Bill asked,with a clear effort at patience.
Taylor jumped off the counter where he hadbeen sitting, and led the way to the living room. Willfollowed.
“Are you okay?” Will asked, as Taylorlowered himself to the long leather couch.
“I think the asshole broke my nose.”
Will leaned in, frowning. Taylor fended himoff. “Careful.”
“Hold still…”
“Don’t touch it. It’s still bleeding.”
“I see that. You have to put pressure on thebleeding point.” Will delicately used his thumb and forefinger topinch the tip of Taylor’s nose. “Like that. I don’t think it’sbroken.”
Taylor brushed his hand away. “It didn’t useto wiggle so much.”
“I’ve seen a lot of broken noses,MacAllister. Your nose is still in one piece.”
Taylor huffed his irritation.
Will soothed, “It’s still a very handsomenose.”
Pinching his nostrils shut, Taylor saidindistinctly, “Go to hell, Brandt.”
“I’m serious.” But he was smiling.
Taylor shook his head. His pride hurt worsethan his nose.
Will moved closer, nuzzled his ear andmurmured, “Yeah it is. And you’re going to have a beautiful pair ofblack eyes to go with it.”
Taylor closed his eyes and sighed.
Chapter Five
“Not your fault,”Will said for the third time. It went over as well as it had theprevious two.
Taylor gave him a bleak look. “Explain to mehow losing Cousin Dennis was not my fault? It happened on my watch.Under my fucking nose.” He touched the nose in questioncautiously.
“To start with, he wasn’t yourresponsibility. Secondly, he’s supposed to be here voluntarily, soof course you weren’t expecting him to rabbit.”
His father was still talking to his contactat the Marshal’s Service. Will could hear his deep, calm voicefloating from the kitchen, though the words were not clear. Notthat there was any mystery about his report.
Taylor gazed bleakly into space. “We have tofind him.”
“What?” Will did a double take. “No, we sureas hell do not. Why would we want to? If the asshole wants to leavethe program, that’s his choice.”
“He stole your car.”
“I want my car back, but the MarshalsService can worry about Cousin Dennis.”
Taylor continued to scowl. His bruises werestarting to show now. He was definitely going to have a couple ofblack eyes to go with that split lip. If they’d been at home, Willwould have pulled him down to his lap and rubbed his head for him.Taylor reminded him of a cat, the way he liked being stroked andcaressed. But here in his father’s house, Will couldn’t —
His internal reflections broke off. Whatkind of stupid thought was that? He couldn’t what? Show sympathy?Show affection? Show love? To a man he was as good as marriedto?
“Hey.” He rested a hand on Taylor’sshoulder, giving him a gentle tug. “Lie down. I’ll rub
