For the rest of the meal, they mostly kept quiet, partially because the food was incredibly tasty. Their high metabolisms required that they eat often, and they hadn’t stopped on the trip down.
“If Cassidy took a different bus to Casper, I wonder when we can expect her to arrive?” Zach asked.
“How about we check when we reach Cassidy’s folks’ place?” Mason asked.
“Works for me.”
They all finished eating, and after they paid and tipped Hope for her good service, they left. Cassidy’s parents’ home was thankfully easy to find—or rather the compound where they lived was easy to find. For some reason, Zach expected them to live on a large parcel of land. Instead, most of the houses were all clumped together against a backdrop of what looked like a working farm. There were silos, cows, several large structures, and a greenhouse, not to mention solar panels on poles.
“Look for #24,” Mason said.
Zach drove around and eventually spotted the house. It was a blue, one-story wooden structure that was at most twelve-hundred square feet. Smoke was pouring out of the chimney. “Looks like someone’s home.”
Zach parked, and the three of them strode up to the door. Mike knocked. While Zach could hear voices inside, no one answered.
“Do you think they fear we’re part of the Kitchener Clan come to shake them down for Cassidy’s location?” Mason asked.
“That’s a reasonable assumption.”
Mike knocked again. “Mr. and Mrs. Evans. I’m Mike Halperin. I’m a friend of Mindy Everwood’s. I’m also your daughter’s mate.”
Zach elbowed him. “What am I? Chopped liver?”
“We don’t want to freak them out. One mate might be all they can handle.”
“Ten bucks says Cassidy already told Mindy that we are both her mates. She might have spilled the beans to Cassidy's parents.”
“I doubt that. She’d let Cassidy tell them. I think it’s better we say nothing for now.” Mike shook his head at the lack of a response. “We’re looking for Cassidy,” Mike announced. “She was with me and Zach Granger in Montana. When she spotted Sherman Watts in town, she ran away. Again.”
Still nothing. “Mrs. Evans, can you call Mindy and ask her who her leader was on the wilderness trip she took? She will tell you my name—Mike Halperin. She told Cassidy to find me, because she would be safe with me.”
Though that didn’t work out all that well.
More talking came from inside. A good minute late, a woman who looked remarkably like Cassidy, opened the door. “I’m sorry to keep you waiting. One of you is Zach, right?”
He held up his hand. “Yes, and this is my older brother, Mason.”
“I’m here for protection.”
Really? He’d had all of two lessons with Alex and Liam.
“Please come in, but Cassidy isn’t here.”
Damn. They entered the rather dark living room. Not to be a snob, but the furniture looked old and worn. His heart broke that the woman Zach was in love with had grown up here, though she always spoke highly of living here. In the end, that's all that really mattered.
Even though he bet Doug could have provided well for her, she’d turned him down. Her goal in life didn't seem to be financial success—not that he was rich by any stretch.
“How is she?” her mother asked.
“Until she spotted one of Kitchener’s men in town, she was great.”
“Oh, no." Her eyes widened. "I’m sorry, can I get you men something to drink? Or eat?”
Zach held up a hand. “Thanks for the offer, but we just came from the restaurant in town.”
“Then have a seat. Tell us everything.”
Her mother and father sat across from them on the chairs, while the three of them took the sofa. Zach explained he had been attacked about a month ago and left for dead. Cassidy had found him and actually carried him into a cave so he’d be safe.