by Barb Han
It wouldn’t be the first time such a tragedy had occurred. Rory had come up against similar situations and worse in his ten years as a tracker. And even though his work brought him face-to-face with everything from hardened criminals looking to hide—and willing to kill whomever stood in the way of freedom—to profiteers seeking to make a quick buck on the black market, a trade that was unfortunately thriving, to traffickers—human and animal—he’d always brought them to justice.
In his life, no two days were the same and the variety kept his blood pumping. Most of his meals were cooked and eaten out in the open. There was something about food heated over an open fire that made it taste so much better than anything he’d ever tasted from an oven.
He could admit that life on the fringe had lost some of its appeal recently and that probably had to do with the beating heart in his chest, making him think about things he knew better than to want or expect, like a real home.
This life was uncomplicated. He didn’t spend his time glued to an electronic device like people in town. He didn’t answer to anyone or have to spend time with anyone he didn’t want to see, which also sounded lonely when he put it like that.
Taking in a slow breath, he inched forward.
Out on the range, a person’s mind could wander into dangerous territory if he wasn’t careful. Being alone with his thoughts for long periods used to clear his mind but not lately.
Inevitably, his thoughts would wander to Cadence. Conversations with her had always been enjoyable and especially with her spunk. Her smile was quick and genuine.
His heart acknowledged that she was dangerous and he knew deep down she could do a whole lot better in life than be dragged down by the likes of a man like him. He might’ve walked away first but she would’ve eventually. She would’ve figured out they were no good for each other. And his heart might not have recovered. For the hundredth time in the past five months, he reminded himself this was the only choice and that he’d done her a favor.
He’d catch the poacher who was running the show—if that man wasn’t Dex—which would shut down the heart of the operation. And then get back to Wyoming, where he’d taken personal leave. He was needed on the SJ Ranch as soon as he tied up this loose end. If he was going to show his hand, he’d admit that the possibility of seeing Cadence again caused all kinds of uncomfortable feelings to surface.
For now, he’d deal with what was right in front of him, the camp. He’d managed to inch close enough to see that there was no cooler. Was Dex gone?
Rory palmed the makeshift dog treat. Improvising was the name of the game out in the wild, where he’d learned to make do with what was on hand.
Boots opened his eyes and lifted his head as Rory dropped down next to him. Rory was no dog whisperer but he knew his way around animals. Another survival tactic. One he enjoyed.
“Shhhh, it’s okay, Boots.” He held out the broken pieces of power bar on his flat palm as he surveyed the area. Dex could show up any minute.
And then his gaze landed on the object that Dex had been hiding...a rifle with a scope pointing south, the direction of the Butler home.
Hold on. From this vantage point on the land, could he see as far as the estate? It would depend on the power of the scope.
Rory emptied his hand of the treats, dropping them next to the dog’s mouth. Boots wagged his tail as he happily went to town on the bits.
Rory pulled his night goggles down from his forehead and secured them over his eyes. Another quick scan of the area and everything looked copacetic. Of course, the goggles only allowed him to see fifteen feet around. Pitch-blackness circled the camp like a heavy fog.
He gave another pass to the area in order to make sure he and Boots were alone.
Dropping down to check the angle of the scope, he removed his goggles.
A curse rolled up and out.
Dex had a perfect angle.
The rifle was aimed at the Butler estate all right.
Rory would recognize that bedroom window anywhere.
It belonged to Cadence Butler.
Chapter Three
Rory backed away, making sure he didn’t damage any of the fingerprints on the rifle or scope, and then he called the sheriff.
“There’s a situation on the Butler property you need to be aware of,” he said to Sheriff Sawmill. Rory could almost see the frustration that accompanied the heavy sigh coming through the line. “I can give you my GPS coordinates.”
“Mind sending a few photos of the site?” Sawmill asked.
“Not if it’ll help,” Rory said. He didn’t mind taking a few risks if it meant helping Sawmill figure out who Dex really was.
“I don’t have anyone near your location. I’ll get a deputy out before morning,” he promised.
“Thanks, Sheriff.” There was no use pressuring him. Rory could tell by the man’s tone that he wished he could do more but didn’t have the resources. He also knew how overstretched the sheriff’s office had been since the murder. Pressure mounted to find Mr. Butler’s killer as time went on and that had to be weighing on the sheriff’s mind.
After snapping pictures from multiple angles and then watching over the site for another half hour, Rory assumed Dex wasn’t coming back. The most likely scenario was that Rory had scared Dex away and he wouldn’t return. The man had taken off in a hurry after Rory had invaded the camp and the probability there’d be fingerprints on the weapon were slim to none.
The fire had burned out. Since Rory couldn’t rightly leave the little dog to freeze, he took the shivering beagle into his arms and placed him inside his jacket so he would stop shaking.
Dex would know someone had been there if he returned before the sheriff’s deputy arrived. Rory highly doubted the guy was coming back, though, based on experience.
Game on, Rory thought as he tracked east. He’d circle around to his conversion vehicle and take the beagle, which couldn’t be more than a year old, with no tags, with him to the Butler ranch. If Dex thought he could outsmart him, he needed to think again. No one was better out on the range than Rory and he had no doubt that he could track Dex and see to it that the guy spent the rest of his life behind bars.
Cadence was home. Rory wasn’t supposed to know that. No one was. However, he couldn’t help himself and had tracked her whereabouts. She’d left Colorado that evening and would’ve arrived an hour or two ago. He needed to warn her and her family that she could be in danger.
A dark thought hit. Had Dex already made his way to the main house?
That thought had Rory picking up the pace. In a full-out run, Rory made it back to his vehicle in record time. He secured the beagle in the front seat and took the driver’s seat before heading southwest toward the main house. From his current location, it would take an hour to wind around on the country roads to get to the place. He knew a shortcut that involved going off road but could possibly get a lot of attention from security.
Rory spun the wheel left. He needed to get to the house as fast as possible. It was possible that Dex had moved closer to get a good shot. Damn. The man might’ve left his rifle behind but he was still carrying a handgun.
It was also worth considering that he was an amateur and had abandoned his plan altogether.
Rory managed to locate his phone while driving and used Bluetooth technology to make the call to Cadence.
The recording said the number was no longer in service.
When did she change her number? She’d had the same one since high school.
Then he thought about everything that had happened to the family in the past few months after Maverick Mike Butler’s death. With all the media scrutiny, it made sense that she would make it more difficult to reach her. He hoped it had to do with the media and not their breakup. It shouldn’t bother him that she’d changed her number. It wasn’t really his business anymore no matter how mu
ch his heart argued.
Okay. Plan B.
He pulled over and checked his call log. Dade had been the one to reach out, so his new number must be on the log. Rory called that number. He didn’t realize he’d been holding his breath until the call rolled into a generic-sounding voice mail and frustration nipped at him.
Instead, he tapped the gas pedal harder and raced toward the house, hoping like hell that he wasn’t too late.
Someone in the Butler household knew there’d been a security breach because Terrell Landry stood with his rifle shouldered and aimed at the conversion vehicle speeding toward the back side of the estate. Based on his disposition, his finger hovered over the trigger mechanism. A team of six formed a semicircle around Terrell twenty yards in front of where Rory stopped the conversion vehicle and put his hands where everyone could see them as he exited his vehicle. He’d be no use to Cadence or anyone else if he got himself shot on the property and he wouldn’t risk one of the men he didn’t know getting too excited with his trigger finger.
“Rory Scott?” Terrell said, more statement than question.
“In the flesh,” Rory answered. “Permission to approach?”
Terrell’s next words allowed Rory to exhale.
“Of course. Stand down,” Terrell told his men, lowering his own weapon. “But what are you doing here? I was told that you refused the job.”
“Misunderstanding,” Rory said as he walked to the head of security, planning to meet him halfway. He’d known Terrell for half of his life.
“Good to see you,” Terrell said, sticking out his hand between them.
Rory shook it as the others flanked them. And then a few seconds later he found himself flipped on his backside, heaving for air after being slammed into the cold hard pavement with the wind knocked out of him.
“What the hell, Landry?” he managed to get out through gulps of air. His lungs burned.
“I’m sorry, Rory. I have orders,” Terrell said. “I’ve been instructed to contain you and call the sheriff in order to file a trespassing complaint.”
“The Butlers offered me a job. Who would give you orders to have me arrested?” Rory ground out.
“I got the order directly from Cadence Butler.” He shot another apologetic look. “She called it in yesterday.”
She had to know that Rory would have been asked to help. Yes, he’d walked out on a relationship with her but this was over the top. Even for Cadence.
Twenty minutes later, Rory stood in the foyer of the Butler home with his hands in zip cuffs and Boots at his side.
Dade came rushing toward him as Boots sat next to Rory’s shoes. “I’m sorry, Rory. I don’t know how this order slipped past the rest of us and ended up being issued. It should never have happened.” He glanced toward his head of security and then the zip cuffs. “Take those ridiculous things off.”
Rory’s anger almost overshadowed the real reason he’d shown up to begin with as Terrell removed the bindings. He rubbed sore wrists. “I caught a guy on your property with a scope on Cadence’s room.”
Dalton entered the foyer, stress cracks around his eyes and mouth. He looked exhausted and Rory didn’t like being the one to deliver more bad news. “Where?”
“Due north from the main house,” Rory supplied. “Is she here?”
“Haven’t seen her yet but she was due in last night,” Dade supplied after shaking his friend’s hand. Dade was wearing jeans without a shirt or shoes. He’d obviously been roused from sleep. “I’m sorry again for the misunderstanding.” He motioned toward Rory’s wrists.
This was no miscommunication, but he wasn’t angry at Dade or Dalton for it.
“You want me to take care of this guy?” Landry asked, motioning toward Boots.
“He belong to you?” Dade asked.
“Does now.”
“All right if Landry takes care of him while we talk?” Dade nodded toward the beagle.
“Fine by me. Cadence needs to know how much danger she’s in.” She wasn’t stupid and if she realized how close she was to being shot, she’d take the right precautions. Rory didn’t even want to think about what might’ve happened if he hadn’t been there. Was he still frustrated with her for the stunt? Hell, yes.
But he didn’t want anything to happen to her.
It was probably guilt for walking out on her that had him wanting to protect her and not residual feelings. Rory didn’t do those with anyone no matter how much his heart wanted to argue at thinking about seeing her again.
“I need to talk to Cadence,” Rory said as Landry picked up Boots and then disappeared.
Dade stepped aside, allowing access to her hallway in the massive rustic-chic, log-cabin-style home. It looked more like a resort than private residence and he knew the layout well.
“She doesn’t want to talk to you.” Ella Butler stepped into the hallway in front of Cadence’s room.
“Too bad,” Rory said. “She needs to.”
Ella was shaking her head and she looked rattled by the ordeal. “We understand what happened and will take it seriously. My sister has nothing else to say to you.”
“Like hell she doesn’t.” He started toward her room.
Ella stood there, arms folded over her chest. He would never do anything to hurt a woman so he flexed and released his fingers to keep them from reaching out to pick her up and move her.
“What’s going on?” Dade’s brow was hiked.
“Good question,” Rory added, focusing on Ella. “Your sister can have me arrested if I set foot on the property when I’ve been summoned, but I don’t get to warn of her the danger she’s in or ask why she’s so intent on not seeing me?”
“No, you don’t. Now, leave,” Cadence said from her room.
“This is none of our business, Ella,” Dade warned and Rory wondered if his friend knew about the fling. He doubted it, considering how determined Cadence had been to keep it under wraps.
Just when Rory thought Ella was going to dig her heels in and fight, her expression softened and she said, “You’re right. We should stay out of it. I’m sorry, Cadence. But he deserves to know.”
Cadence didn’t respond.
“I’m sorry, Rory,” Ella said with a look as she, Dalton and Dade wished him good luck before disappearing down the hall.
Deserved to know what exactly? Rory questioned.
Rory tapped on Cadence’s door with his bare knuckles. He was the one who’d said there was no future for the two of them and then taken a job in Wyoming. When he really thought about it, she had every right to be upset with him. Not to trust him. Having him detained for being on Butler land was going too far but Cadence had a flair for the dramatic and she was probably still acting out of hurt—hurt that had been his fault.
“It’s important or I wouldn’t be here, Cadence. Open up,” he said.
“Go away.”
* * *
CADENCE STOOD ON the opposite side of the door, her heart thundering in her chest. This wasn’t how she’d envisioned telling Rory that he was going to be a father. She’d had every intention of telling him when the time was right but that time never came and she’d eventually decided to wait until after the babies were born.
There’d been so many times she’d wanted him to know but to what end? What did she want from him? Child support? Marriage? She almost laughed out loud at the thought of tying Rory down with commitment. He’d been all too clear that he wasn’t the type to stick around.
When he’d first walked out of her life, she thought that if she gave him enough time, he’d come back on his own. He’d realize that the two of them should be together.
As far as drinking the Kool-Aid went, she’d gone all-in with that fantasy.
He’d seemed content to stay away and her heart was still trying to heal from the snub.
So far, Ella w
as the only one who knew about the pregnancy and her sister had literally found out five minutes ago when she’d come in to check on Cadence.
“Stay away from your windows, Cadence. Someone was camping on your property and you’re being targeted.” Rory wasn’t trying to scare her. His voice was steady steel.
“Okay. Now I know,” she retorted, chiding herself for being so quick to dismiss him.
Several more taps came.
“I’m sorry about what happened between us.” His voice was low and gravelly. It was the same voice that had been so good at seducing her.
And the same that had told her the two of you didn’t have a future, a little voice reminded.
“Fine. I’ll take this seriously. Consider me warned. Now, you can leave.” He deserved to know he was a father but not like this. A cramp nearly doubled her over. She made it to her bed and sat down, gripping the mattress, trying not to make a noise.
She’d sent for a doctor four times in her first trimester, thinking the cramps were a bad sign that something was going terribly wrong. Turned out they were normal and especially common in a first pregnancy.
Before she could stop it, the doorknob twisted.
“No, Rory! Go!”
“I just wanted to tell you face-to-face—” His jaw fell slack the minute his gaze landed on her stomach.
Defensively, she brought her hands around her large belly to cover it.
Rory stood there, frozen, as though unable to speak.
A few seconds ticked by before he seemed to gather his thoughts well enough to say something.
“Do you mind telling me when you intended to share the news that you’re pregnant?” he finally asked, and there was so much betrayal in his voice.
She was pretty sure he was decent at math but also certain he had no idea how far along she was or the timing of a pregnancy. And part of her realized he had every right to be angry.
“I’d say it’s none of your business but that’s not exactly true since you’re the father,” she said, watching intently for his response.
