Ransom Read online

  Ransom

  Laurel Springs Emergency Response Team #1

  Laramie Briscoe

  Contents

  Also By Laramie

  New Release Alerts

  Members of the Moonshine Task Force

  Blurb

  Author’s Note

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Epilogue

  Thank You!

  Connect With Laramie

  Copyright © 2018 Laramie Briscoe

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, distributed, stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, without express permission of the author, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages for review purposes.

  This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to any person, living or dead, or any events or occurrences, is purely coincidental. The characters and storylines are created from the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any trademarks, service marks, product names, or named features are assumed to be the property of their respective owners, and are used only for reference. There is no implied endorsement if any of these terms are used. Except for review purposes, the reproduction of this book in whole or part, electronically or mechanically, constitutes a copyright violation.

  Editor: Elfwerks Editing

  Beta Readers: Keyla Handley, Ash Luna, Danielle Wentworth

  Proofreader: Danielle Wentworth

  Cover: Laramie Briscoe

  Cover Photography: 6:12 Photography

  Formatting: Laramie Briscoe

  Created with Vellum

  Also By Laramie

  Heaven Hill Series

  Meant To Be

  Out of Darkness

  Losing Control

  Worth The Battle

  Dirty Little Secret

  Second Chance Love

  Rough Patch

  Beginning of Forever

  Home Free

  Shield My Heart

  A Heaven Hill Christmas

  * * *

  Heaven Hill Next Generation

  Hurricane

  Wild

  * * *

  Rockin’ Country Series

  Only The Beginning

  One Day at A Time

  The Price of Love

  Full Circle

  Hard To Love

  Reaper’s Girl

  * * *

  The Moonshine Task Force Series

  Renegade

  Tank

  Havoc

  Ace

  Menace

  Cruise

  * * *

  Stand Alones

  Sketch

  Sass

  Trick

  New Release Alerts

  JOIN MY MAILING LIST

  http://sitel.ink/LBList

  * * *

  JOIN MY READERS GROUP

  fbl.ink/LaramiesLounge

  Members of the Moonshine Task Force

  Ryan “Renegade” Kepler – Married to Whitney and father to Stella and Nick. Best friend to Trevor.

  * * *

  Trevor “Tank” Trumboldt – Married to Blaze, brother to Whitney, uncle to Stella and Nick. Best friend to Ryan.

  * * *

  Holden “Havoc” Thompson – Married to Leighton, father to Ransom and Cutter. Best friend to Mason.

  * * *

  Anthony “Ace” Bailey – Married to Violet.

  * * *

  Mason “Menace” Harrison – Married to Karina, father to Caleb and Kelsea, grandfather to Molly and Levi. Best friend to Holden.

  * * *

  Caleb “Cruise” Harrison – Married to Ruby, father to Molly and Levi, son of Mason, brother to Kelsea.

  Blurb

  Ransom Thompson

  For years I’ve wanted two things: to be a member of the Moonshine Task Force and to be the man Stella Kepler can’t live without.

  One out of two isn’t bad, or so I tell myself. Being the only K-9 handler for the MTF presents its own share of obstacles, but me and Rambo? We make it work. Life is status quo, until I’m called in to help with what appears to be a hostage situation and Stella is right in the middle of it.

  This is my one chance, and I’m not going to blow it.

  * * *

  Stella Kepler

  * * *

  When I’m stuck in an examination room holding a hurt woman and a man with a gun, I do the only thing I can - I sneak out, call 911, and hope help comes quickly. It does.

  In the form of Ransom Thompson. He and I have known each other since we were babies. Our mothers are friends, our dads work together, and we’ve always been friends.

  Only, the last few months I’ve started to notice things. How mature he is, how alpha he can be, the chiseled six-pack, and the abundance of ink spreading across his body.

  When I offer to cook him dinner for saving me, neither one of us knows how that one moment will change the course of the rest of our lives.

  Author’s Note

  Note From Laramie:

  * * *

  While the series is called The Laurel Springs Emergency Response Team, please be aware the team is what bought most of these people together. It’s the catalyst (if you will) that has made the relationships of all the people you meet in the series.

  Like most of my recent books, these are character-driven. The action, as it is, advances the storyline or sets up the storyline for subsequent books. There won’t be manufactured drama or manufactured storyline. These are very much what you see is what you get. Each book follows one member, and you’ll get to see how they change and grow throughout the course of the series.

  I hope you’ll love the first story featuring Ransom & Stella!

  Laramie

  To my favorite Live PD dynamic duo Carmack & Shep!

  To all the men and women who keep our streets safe and the people they have waiting at home for them after every shift. May you always be safe and sound!

  Prologue

  FROM THE TEXT MESSAGES OF RANSOM THOMPSON & NICK KEPLER

  N: Can you make it any more obvious?

  R: Can I make what any more obvious?

  N: You were checking out Stella hard core today at The Café.

  R: Yeah? I think maybe she was checking me out too.

  N: Ummm, negative ghostrider, I know my sister. She wasn’t checking you out.

  R: One day, my friend, one day. I haven’t put on twenty pounds of muscle since I started working with Rambo for nothing.

  N: I’m glad to see your dreaming big.

  R: Go big or go home, isn’t that what everybody says?

  N: Yeah, if they’re giving like a mother fucking TED talk, Ransom.

  R: Don’t talk down to me, Nickolas.

  N: I jus
t see you missing out on all the chicks who look at you like they’d blow you before they even knew your name.

  R: Not missing out, Nick. I’m focused. Focused on what I really want.

  N: You sure about that? What if she never sees it?

  R: She will. One day she’ll need a hero, and I’ll be right there. I know my girl, and she wants the dude who’s brave enough to enter the building with an armed man. The dude who’s willing to put himself in the line of fire. That’s me, and I’m gonna show her that one day.

  N: God bless ya, man.

  R: I’m patient.

  N: Or a glutton for punishment. It’s been a year since you’ve even been out on a date.

  R: One day you’ll get it. I’m just waiting for the right time. Patience pays off.

  N: Or makes your dick sterile from lack of use.

  R: You’re not gonna convince me that she and I aren’t meant to be.

  N: I’m just saying I know my sister.

  R: And I’m just saying maybe you don’t know her as well as you thought, if you think she’s not worth waiting around for.

  N: Now you’re puttin’ words in my mouth.

  R: Don’t write checks you can’t cash, dude. For real.

  N: I’ll be here to nurse your heartbreak with a beer when all is said and done.

  R: Fuck off, you’ll be best man at my wedding.

  N: Assuming she says yes to marrying you, which means she’ll have to say yes to a date, which in turn means you’ll have to actually get her to talk to you in a romantic way. Those are lofty goals my friend.

  R: I’ll be calling you brother-in-law before you know it.

  N: Ha! I’ll believe it when I see it.

  R: Keep looking, jackass. Gotta go, call is coming in. See you tomorrow night for steaks. Bring your nephew his favorite tug toy.

  N: Only because I like him more than you!

  Chapter 1

  Ransom

  My ears perk up as I hear a call coming over the radio. Dispatch is speaking quickly, precisely, and with an urgency I haven’t heard in a long time.

  “I’ve got a report of a man with a gun at the Laurel Springs Urgent Clinic. It has been spotted and verified. Kelsea Harrison called it in, saying Stella Kepler’s in the room with the man. At this time, he’s not brandished it, but they’ve requested an officer respond. Apparently, there’s a woman who came in with him, whose safety they’re worried about.”

  I’m quick to key the radio. As one of the only members on the Moonshine Task Force not related to these two, I can respond while they can’t. I’ve had SWAT training, and besides my dad, I’m the most qualified to take the call. “Show me as responding, I’ll be there in less than two minutes.”

  “Got it, Ransom. State Troopers are responding with you. One unit has acknowledged response.”

  “Ransom, you know those two, they wouldn’t have called something in if they weren’t worried,” I hear Caleb on the other end of my radio.

  “I know, I’ve got this,” I assure him, keeping my voice steady.

  I hate the fact the guys I normally work with won’t have my back, but there’s four of us on patrol today, and three of them are related to the two women mentioned. To keep everyone safe, it’s best if the State Troopers help.

  In the back of my SUV, my K-9, Rambo, is going insane as he hears the sirens and feels the acceleration. “Not yet, buddy.” I try to placate him as he barks loudly.

  Over the radio I hear Renegade, Stella’s dad. “Turn your sirens off. He hasn’t pulled that gun yet, and we don’t want to give him reason to.”

  Realizing he has a point, I do as instructed. “Mine are off, turning onto Depage Street right now.”

  In the distance, I see the lights of the State Trooper vehicle responding with me. They’ve turned their sirens off too, and we both come to a stop in front of the clinic, with minimal squealing of tires. Before I’m even out of the SUV, Kelsea’s running out the front, approaching me.

  “Calm down,” I tell her as she starts talking. “Tell me exactly what’s happening, just the specifics.” I know her well, and more than anything, I want to get Stella out of harm’s way.

  “All I know is the guy requested to go back with the girl. He called her his wife. Stelle went back to take her vitals and to get her contact and insurance information. You know, medical history, where she sends her prescriptions to, all the normal stuff. When she came out, she said the two of them were answering the questions with conflicting answers. She said the girl keeps looking at him when she answers, and he has his hand around her arm, almost as if he’s afraid she’s going to bolt. Stelle took her vitals, and when she did, she noticed the guy has a gun. Guns aren’t allowed in the clinic, and none of us can recall ever seeing anyone carrying in here before. Because of the conflicting answers, the way he’s holding onto her, and just the general vibe of the room, we both agreed something’s up. We’re cop’s kids, ya know? To get out of the room, Stelle said she had to get a file. She told me to call you all, and she hasn’t come back out again.”

  None of this sounds good to me, and I’m immediately worried for Stella.

  “Which room is it?” I ask as I meet the gaze of the other officer who has showed up to help.

  “First one on the left.” She runs a hand through her hair. “I’m just really worried about Stelle.” She has tears pooling in her eyes.

  “She’s gonna be fine. Why don’t you go stand over there with your brother?” I see Cruise has showed up, as has Renegade, but neither one of them can be involved in this. “First though, is there anybody in the waiting area?”

  “No.” She shakes her head. “This was our last patient of the day. It’s only me, Stelle, and Dr. Patterson. He’s over there.” She points at a young-looking guy standing over to the side.

  Fucker didn’t stay in there with his employees. Already I have a hatred for this douchebag. “Alright, we’ll have her out in a few minutes. I promise.” I give Kels a smile, before pushing her toward the family that’s gathered.

  “What’s your plan?” the officer asks.

  “Act like the doctor, go in, subdue him, get the fuck out. Simple.”

  “Shit never happens simple like that.” He wipes the sweat from his forehead.

  It’s actually a mild day for us, and the fact that he’s sweating is making me feel less confident in his abilities. “It will with her; her dad is a member of the MTF with me. She knows how to handle herself.”

  “If you say so.”

  His tone pisses me off, but right now he’s my only backup and I can’t count him out. Pulling my gun, I nod to him. “Let’s go.”

  My heart thuds so loudly I can hear the reverberation in my ears as we enter the waiting area of the clinic. Clearing the room, we head down the hallway. Coming to the first examination room on the left, I do my best not to knock like a cop.

  “We’re ready and clear for you.” I can hear Stella’s voice on the other side of the door, and hearing her say it’s clear, tells me the guy doesn’t seem to know anything other than the normal is happening.

  Within seconds we’ve opened the door, Stella has pulled the girl out of the way and we’ve got the guy turned around with his hands behind his back. I’m reading him his rights, while the other cop is cuffing him.

  “Do you understand these rights?” I ask him, as we turn him around. Grabbing the gun out of his waistband, I check the chamber, whistling as I see one there, ready to go.

  “Fuck you,” he snarls. “Who called on me? Was it that bitch?” He tilts his head toward Stella.

  Turning him back around, I push him roughly up against the wall as I shove my foot in between his, kicking his legs apart. “Doesn’t matter who called, why’d you have a loaded gun in a doctor’s office?”

  His answer? “Get me a lawyer.”

  “Fair enough. Can you transport him? I’m K-9.” I hand him over to the Trooper when I get an affirmative.

  As they leave, I turn back to Stella and the gir
l with her. The girl is crying, sobbing with huge gulps of air. “Thank you.” She throws her arms around me. “Thank you so much.”

  “You need to thank her.” I point at Stella. “If it hadn’t been for her having a bad feeling, seeing the gun, and having someone call us, this would have turned out way differently. Do you wanna tell me what’s going on here?”

  She wipes at her tears, as she turns to Stella, wrapping her arms around her the same way she did me. “I’ve been with him for three straight days. He was having car trouble, and I picked him up, trying to help him. He wouldn’t let me go.” She holds up her hand, unwrapping a bandage that’s around it. Once she unfurls it, blood pours. “So I put my hand through a plate glass window and he was afraid I nicked an artery.”