Manny’s Mission (Broken Wheel Ranch #7)

Chapter 18

CHAPTER 18

Four days later everyone in the bunker froze while playing a board game they’d gotten from one of their trips upstairs to check out the area as a phone when off. Everyone looked at theirs and Manny held up his hand.

“It’s me,” he said, and answered, but he placed it in the center of the Monopoly board and answered. “Sanchez.”

“It’s Manchester.”

“Okay, you’re on speaker.”

“Good. Sorry it took so long to get back to you, but we needed to do some research first.”

“Perfectly understandable. We’re discreetly making rounds to see if there’s any activity at the main house.”

“Is there?”

“Yes, Wyonna and four men have moved in.”

“Do you know which ones?”

“Do you still have the description of the men the women gave you?”

“I do.”

“Okay, as I said it is Wyonna, and perp number three, four, five, and six. We haven’t seen perps one or two since they last beat Naomi almost a week ago.”

“How are Clark and Naomi doing? Do you need medical attention.”

“We’re good,” Clark answered for them. “Denver and Ryan were our team medics, so they were able to patch us up. What type of plans do you have for us?”

“As we speak, we have a team of agents getting suited up to come your way. We were able to somewhat access your military records.”

“What do you mean, somewhat?” Naomi asked in confusion. She didn’t know whether she liked the grins on the faces of everyone in the room, or not.

“Most of it from both the men and women were redacted. In case you don’t know, that means there is information there that we are not privy to. However, we do all have your photos. I’m going to call off a set of names to you.” He did just that, and everyone nodded that they were who they were. Duane even had the names of the women with them, and they too agreed they were who they were.

“Good, I’ll send you names and photos of the people who are on my team. We don’t need the good guys taking each other out.”

“What about the names on the list of bad people?” Pru asked. “Again, I’m sorry for the mix-up.”

“Don’t worry about it. I sent a text to Clark’s phone with what we were able to come up with due to the descriptions. Clark, could you and Naomi check them out to see if they are the men who held you captive and beat you?”

Clark took Naomi’s hand in his and he slowly opened it. Together they looked at the screen and then at each other.

“Yes, all six of them were the ones that held us captive.”

“Good, I’ll get this information to the team, and we should be there in a couple of hours. Where exactly on the property are you?”

Everyone looked at each other, and then finally looked at Clark. He nodded once, then leaned forward to speak directly into the phone. “We are in a bunker underneath the bunkhouse.”

“Got it. Is there any chance if we keep you updated on our progress that you could possibly work your way toward the house. The FBI will breach it, but could you be our lookouts until we arrive? We’ll keep open communication between us.”

“We can do that,” Clark agreed without looking at the others.

“One quick question. What did you do with your vehicles? I’m assuming you hid them so Wyonna wouldn’t see them.”

“Correct. They are parked in a hay barn on the far side of the main horse barn, furthest away from the main house, and buried. Not deep, we just stacked up some bales of hay so no one would see the trucks.”

“Good, okay, we’ll let you know when we’re on the road.”

“Thanks, Manchester.” Manny hung up and looked at the others. “Well?”

“Well, now we plan.” Clark looked around the table, and after the board game was quickly picked up, they started laying out the blueprints for the farm that one of them had found in the barn.

“Before we start,” Pru said, and actually held up her hand to stop the others and get their attention.

“What’s up?” Ryan asked in concern. He had known she’d been upset when she told him about her snafu of giving Manchester the wrong piece of paper.

“I’m not saying this to get a pity party, but what if I stayed here with Naomi to help protect her. I know she’s not helpless, but I don’t want to have a brain fart at the most crucial time.”

“I’m not staying here,” Naomi spoke up with passion. “I mean it. This is still my ranch for the time being. I refuse to let that bitch take what isn’t hers. I think once the FBI kicks the door down, I’m going to walk in and tell her just where and how much the bear shits in the woods. I will make damn sure that she knows I know her plans. It’s time to put an end to this. I ran away years ago because I was scared. I’m not anymore. I survived what she and Benson did to me. I will survive this. With you guys and gals at my back, I will finally put an end to this shit.”

No one said a word for several moments, until Pru laughed and held up her hand to give Naomi a high-five. “What she said. I’ll just stay with her.”

“I’ll be with them also,” Opal said. By the time they were done discussing things, it was determined that the women would stay with Naomi while the men led the way and they would all wait for the FBI to arrive. Once the crew from Colorado were happy with their plans, Manny was the one who ended up calling Manchester to let him know what their plans were and where they would be situated so they didn’t get in the way of the FBI agents when they converged on the house.

Three hours later, Ann was on Naomi’s left as they entered the main house on The Double A ranch. She glared at the woman getting a set of handcuffs slapped onto her wrists when she whipped her head up and glared at Naomi.

“You’re supposed to be fucking dead!” Wyonna screamed at Naomi, and tried to get away from the female FBI agents. She either didn’t realize it, or didn’t care, but the entire encounter was being recorded by the body cameras worn by the FBI. “I told the men to kill you and the prick you were with. I also told them to dispose of your bodies out in the horse shit pile. When I didn’t see you here, I thought they had succeeded.”

“Well, it didn’t happen,” Naomi said coldly, and Ann shivered beside her. Just as coldly, she continued, “Before the FBI take your skanky ass away, I want to know why.”

“Why what?”

“Why did you knock us out, take us to the basement, and have us beaten? What did we ever do to you? I don’t even fucking know you.”

“If you must know, it’s because this ranch rightfully belongs to me. I had to endure years of being at the pig’s mercy before I could make my move.”

“I’m assuming by the pig you’re referring to Percy Biggins?”

“Yes, and that sick fuck Benson Alcott. But I finally got what is rightfully mine, then you had to show up and ruin everything. I’m sick and tired of not getting my birthright!” By the end of her tirade she was screaming, and no one said a word until she calmed down.

“How do you figure The Double A is your birthright?”

Everyone watched as Wyonna stood tall, lifted her head, and looked down her nose at Naomi. Her tone was snide and snarky, when she next spoke, “Because Missy Brennen is my mother.”

Again, everyone turned as one to look at Naomi to see her reaction. Her only response was a shrug of her shoulders, and a nonchalant, “Who’s that?”

“Our mother, as if you didn’t know.”

“I have no clue who you’re referring to. I’d have to look at my birth certificate to see who my mother was. She left this ranch before I was three-months-old, and never returned. Her name was never mentioned after she left. My grandparents raised me.”

“That’s a fucking lie! Missy told me she was driven away from here by Benson! This is my ranch and I will do everything in my power to claim my rightful heritage! I will even commit murder if I have to.”

Naomi sighed heavily and looked at Manchester, who gave her a motion of keeping Wyonna talking, so she did. She thought that the more Wyonna talked, the more they would have on her when it came to her trial.

“Let me ask you this, how old are you?”

“A woman doesn’t tell her age.”

“Fuck that shit, I’m trying to get the bottom of this. I’ll be thirty soon, you look like you’re older than I am. How old?”

“Fine, I just turned thirty-five.”

“Okay, is Benson Alcott your father?”

“No, my father was killed in a bar fight down in Cheynne when I was three. What does this have to do with anything?”

“Because I’m about to take you to school on a little science and history lesson. First, we’re going to have to have a DNA test to prove we are related. Second, if it’s true that Missy Brennen is my mother, then that means jack shit toward this ranch. This ranch was started by my grandparents, Raymond and Marie Alcott . Grandpa named it The Double A after him and Grandma. Their biological son is Benson, and I am his biological daughter. Genetics, science, will determine if you are telling the truth about being Missy’s daughter. With that said, now onto the history lesson. When I turned eighteen, Grandpa put the ranch in my name. Why you ask? Because Benson was a piece of shit of a son and an even worse piece of shit father. He only cared how much money the ranch made, not about the work put into it to make that money.”

Naomi shook her head when she saw the confusion on the other woman’s face. “My entire life, Benson was given an allowance to live on, and it didn’t stop after Grandpa died, because I was the legal owner. Back to the science, biologically, I am the owner because I am the relation to Raymond, aka, my grandfather, through Benson. If what you say is true, and this Missy Brennen character is our mother, then you still wouldn’t be the owner of The Double A.”

“It’s my birthright!”

“No, it’s not. From the little I know of my mother, she was twenty when she married Benson, and twenty-three when she disappeared. She and Dad dated for two years. She was eighteen when they started dating. That would put her at least fifteen, possibly younger when you were born. There had never, ever been any mention of my mother having another child before me. I don’t know who has been filling your life with lies, but Missy Brennen isn’t my mother. Besides, even if she is, and you are my sister on her side, it still doesn’t allow you this ranch.” Naomi held up her hand and shook her head when Wyonna started to speak.

“Why your ask? Because this is Alcott property. You have to have Alcott DNA in order to inherit. Not Brennen, or whomever you say is my mother. It’s my understanding, and I have the legal paperwork to back this statement up, but it’s my understanding that when the woman who birthed me left, she signed an agreement to renounce all and any rights to The Double A. Along with any future children she might have.”

“Bullshit.”

“It’s simple,” Ann said, and shook her head at Wyonna. “Do a simple DNA test and it will clear up everything.”

“I don’t have to. This place is mine by birth!” She lunged forward, escaping the hands grabbing to stop her. What caused her to drop to her knees and scream in pain was Ann. Everyone looked around wildly, and it was Manny who walked behind Wyonna, and pulled something out of the wall behind where Wyonna had stood. He held it up, then wrapped it in his bandana he had in his back pocket.

“A throwing star?” Ryan asked in shock. “I’m impressed.”

“Thanks,” Ann said. “I figured that was better that a bullet.”

“That’s true,” Duane Manchester actually chuckled as he handed a plastic baggie to Manny. “If you don’t mind, we’ll take that and run it for DNA.” They all chuckled when they saw there had been blood on the star.

“You can’t do that!” Wyonna screamed.

“Sue me,” Duane said, and lifted her to her feet. He looked at the wound and shook his head. “Barely a scratch, nothing but a simple Band-Aid will do.” He looked at Naomi. “We good?”

“Yes, but I want it on your body camera that I intend to press any and all charges against her.”

“Understood.” He started to walk away, but when he came abreast of her and Clark, who had stepped up beside her by then, he said, “I can see you’re healing, but for the case against her, I would rest easier if the both of you went to the hospital to be checked out. We can get the records, and it will be a far heavier weight than if it was just your word.”

“We will,” Clark said as he wrapped his arm around Naomi. The group from Colorado turned and watched as all the FBI agents took four men and one woman out to their vehicles and put them in the back.

“Well,” Naomi said when it was just them left. “That was intense.”

“Do you think she had any truth to the two of you being half-sisters?” Ann asked.

“I don’t think so. Please, don’t think I’m being difficult here, but I really do not know my mother’s name. It was never mentioned and I’ll have to look at my birth certificate to know for sure. Another way to know is to talk to Clem whenever he gets to New Double. He was here during that time.”

“Cole wasn’t?”

“No, he came to work here when I was three. At the time that Grandpa entered me in that first sheep riding contest at the local fair, and my rodeo career started. Grandpa hired Cole Mercury to take over the running of the ranch then so that I could train. As I grew older, Grandpa would drive me to the rodeos I was eligible to participate in. Clem went with us, and that left Cole here to run everything, and deal with Benson.”

“Got it.”

“What now?” Opal asked.

“I think I need to go back to Yellowstone, or even into Montana to let Hank know what’s happened and see if he can release me from my duties with Brotherhood Protectors.”

“Then what?” Manny asked, not realizing he held his breath until he heard her answer.

“Then, if Erin will still have me, I’d like to come work for her at New Double.”

Manny walked up and gathered her in his arms to kiss her. When they broke apart, they were alone, and he placed his forehead on hers. “May I go to Yellowstone with you?”

“Yes.”

When they walked outside, they heard the others discussing what had to be done, and two days later, as everyone headed toward Colorado, Ann and Manny headed to Yellowstone. The FBI had taken possession of The Double A until the case against Wyonna, Percy Biggins, and Benson Alcott was concluded. It would be a long time before Naomi could get in there and sell it.