Hunter (Stud Ranch 2)

ISOBEL

The bar erupted as soon as she opened the door.

“Surprise!” was yelled from everywhere at once and a confetti cannon erupted right in her face. And into her open mouth.

Isobel coughed and waved confetti out of her face

“Jesus, Reece,” Jeremiah said, smacking his twin on the back of the head. “Give the girl a second to catch her breath, will ya?”

“Oh no!” Mel laughed, coming forward and helping Isobel get confetti off her shirt and out of her hair.

As soon as she’d gotten most of the confetti out of her mouth, one server with a tray of champagne glasses handed one to her, and another approached with a big slice of apple pie. With a crumble topping.

Isobel took the pie and champagne, immediately looking around for Nicholas. He was always easy to spot in a crowd since he was a head taller than everyone else. He was standing toward the end of the bar near Liam, who was bent over his phone. She lifted the plate of pie toward Nicholas and mouthed thank you.

He nodded, then looked away, seeming embarrassed at the acknowledgement. That man. Mel was right. Whoever caught him would be lucky indeed. She handed off the champagne and took a bite of the pie—the waiter had brought a fork with it. It melted in her mouth it was so delicious.

People crowded all around to wish her happy birthday. Not just the guys from the ranch but everybody and anybody from the town who she’d even remotely had contact with through the veterinary practice. She was glad that Mel stayed by her side and helped her field all the well-wishers. She was glad too for the pie. Whenever she couldn’t remember someone’s name, she’d just take a bite. Except soon the pie was gone.

But then it was Liam to the rescue. He came and grabbed her arm right as one of the elderly farmers was starting in on how he was worried that switching to a cheaper feed might make his cows bloat. “Sorry, I gotta steal the birthday girl away,” Liam said, then snatched her and pulled her behind him.

Isobel waved at the disgruntled farmer. Then, after they were out of earshot, she whispered to Liam. “Thanks for the save.”

“What?” Liam pulled her to the back corner of the bar where Mack was already waiting.

“Did you show her?” Mack asked.

“Show me what?” Isobel looked back and forth from Mack’s grim expression to Liam’s wary one. “What’s going on?”

Liam tapped something on his phone before holding it out to her. “Do you know you’re a missing person’s case?”

Isobel grabbed the phone which had a video from one of the network morning shows keyed up to play. And there was Catrina sitting on the couch across from the famous host. Isobel’s eyes widened and her heart sank through the floor.

“They’re calling you The Missing Heiress,” Mack said, reaching over and pushing play.

The camera focused on the hostess. “The public is fascinated by this case. Is it true your husband left your stepdaughter half a billion dollars in his will?”

The shot switched to Catrina. She’d had professional hair and make-up done but there seemed to be a few more lines on her forehead than Isobel remembered. What, had she been neglecting her botox injections?

“Yes, Isobel’s father loved her so much. We both do. It’s her birthday today.” Catrina dabbed at her eye with a handkerchief. Isobel felt like hitting something. Catrina, crying over her? Yeah, when hell froze over. “I just want to know that she’s all right. That she’s safe and getting the help she needs so she can receive her inheritance and live the life her father and I always wanted for her.”

Isobel’s hands clenched around the phone so hard she was afraid she’d crack it.

“When you say ‘the help she needs,’ what exactly do you mean by that?” The hostess tilted her head and looked at Catrina with a compassionate expression.

Catrina swallowed and sniffled dramatically. Isobel scoffed. “Overplaying it a bit, aren’t we, mommy dearest?”

In her periphery, Isobel saw Mack and Liam look at each other but she ignored them as Catrina began to answer.

“Isobel is a… a passionate girl. At times, troubled.” Catrina’s eyebrows came together. “But I’m afraid, sometimes she just…” Tears leaked out of her eyes. “Well sometimes she can become unstable. Violent even. Towards herself and others.”

Catrina stopped and broke down in sobs.

The hostess reached across and put a hand on Catrina’s arm. “I’m a mother too. And so are many of our viewers out there watching.”

The screen went back to a shot of just the hostess, staring straight into the camera. “Again, Isobel Snow has been missing since Apr

il 22nd, last seen driving a silver Toyota Carolla heading west on I-80.”