by Barb Han
If he could get close enough to the bastard to safely take him down, he wouldn’t hesitate.
“Can I count on you to stay behind me?” Riggs asked Cheyenne.
“Yes.” There was no conviction in her response, but this wasn’t the time to dig around for clarification.
Keeping his hands in the air, he motioned toward the door handle. He would have to lower his right hand out of the perp’s view to open the door. Again, he tried to figure out a way to capitalize on the opportunity but came up blank.
The perp also had on dark pants...slacks? He had on surgical gloves. Dr. Fortner? Or someone else from the hospital?
“Does this guy seem familiar at all?” he asked Cheyenne quietly.
“I can’t see anything,” she said.
The perp stepped forward and opened the driver’s-side door before moving approximately fifteen back. The guy had on surgical gloves. He was too far away to make a move but even at this distance Riggs could see the perp’s hand shaking.
“Come out,” came the demand. Riggs didn’t recognize the voice.
Did he plan to shoot them outside the truck? Make it look like a robbery gone wrong? Or set up some other scene like the one he’d tried to use to cover Ally’s murder?
Murder-suicide?
The silencer on the end of his gun would minimize noise. Folks wouldn’t be any the wiser as they slept through the night. Except Loriann, who was waiting for Riggs and Cheyenne. He couldn’t let his mind go to a place where this jerk had already gotten to her and her son. Anger ripped through him. She’d been watching out the window. Was she now?
He’d parked across the lot from her building so he wouldn’t run into the driver of the gray sedan.
As he was about to climb out of the truck, Cheyenne reached for his door. She held it where he couldn’t move. It only took an instant for him to realize she meant to use it to shield them as she brought the 9mm around and aimed at the perp.
A second later, Riggs felt the shotgun being shoved at him. He gripped it and took aim as the perp darted between vehicles, firing a wild shot. A warning?
Riggs was momentarily torn between chasing after the guy and checking on Loriann. Her safety won out. That, and the fact he didn’t want Cheyenne chasing a guy with a gun, and she would insist on coming with him. Not to mention the fact he couldn’t very well leave her in the truck.
The sounds of screeching tires came a second before a gray streak shot out of the lot and in the opposite direction. At this point, Riggs was at a full run to get to Loriann and her child. He vaguely remembered slamming his truck door closed and locking the vehicle.
Cheyenne was right behind him, gripping her handbag with Ozzy inside, as they raced to Loriann’s unit. Her apartment was on the second floor. Riggs made as little noise as possible as he took the steps two at a time. As he and Cheyenne made it to the door, it swung wide open and a scared-looking Loriann stood on the other side.
Relief he couldn’t begin to describe washed over him.
“Come in quick.” She ushered them both inside, then closed and locked the door behind them. “The gray sedan couldn’t get out of here fast enough. Now I know why. He was coming for me, wasn’t he?”
“Yes. We got here as fast as we could,” Riggs said as he tried to catch his breath.
“I’m just thankful we got here in time,” Cheyenne added.
“Me, too.” Loriann stepped forward and brought Cheyenne into a brief hug. “I called the police to report a suspicious vehicle like you said, but the dispatcher didn’t seem too thrilled. She said they’d been getting calls about teenagers joyriding, and I couldn’t prove any different, so I just let it go.”
“You did the right thing,” Riggs reassured. “The guy in the gray sedan had a gun with a silencer on it and he wore surgical gloves. I doubt he was planning to let you leave here alive.”
Loriann shook visibly.
“What was he waiting on?” she asked. Something passed behind her eyes that Riggs made a note to ask about later. Right now, all he could think about was getting her and her son to safety.
“My guess?” Riggs asked. “An opportunity.”
“Makes sense.” She shook her head like she was trying to shake off the creepiness of the close call. “I packed a bag for me and Zachary.” She looked from Cheyenne to Riggs. “I wasn’t real sure how long we’d be gone.”
“We can get whatever else you need at the ranch,” Riggs said. “Let’s get out of here before he decides to come back.”
As it was, they got lucky. The perp must have realized he was outnumbered. Cheyenne’s move had been brilliant. There was no way Riggs could have pulled it off while the guy was focused on watching him, viewing him as the bigger threat. The man never saw Cheyenne’s move coming and, to be honest, neither had Riggs. His wife had always been strong and quick-witted, so he wasn’t shocked. His admiration for her grew leaps and bounds, though.
Cheyenne O’Connor was a force of nature. One he admired and respected for her strength and courage, which wasn’t going to make it any easier when they went their separate ways. Of course, if their child was alive out there and they found her, they’d be bound together for the rest of their lives.
“Give me your suitcase. I’ll run them down.” Riggs handed the 9mm over to Cheyenne. “If anyone besides me walks through that door, shoot first and ask questions later.”
“I should go with you for cover,” Cheyenne said with a pensive look.
“I’d rather you stayed here with Loriann and Zachary.” Riggs had no doubt Cheyenne’s protective instincts would kick into high gear since a child was involved.
Loriann rolled a large suitcase into the room. “He has a favorite blanket and teddy, but I wouldn’t be able to pry those out of his fingers if I tried.”
“It’s fine. We’ll bring those with him,” Riggs said. “Will seeing guns scare him if he wakes up?”
“I’ll tell him we’re playing pretend cops and robbers,” Loriann offered.
“Lock the door behind me,” Riggs said before heading out the door.
The look of concern from Cheyenne had him wanting to figure out another way. This was their best bet, though.
* * *
CHEYENNE’S ADRENALINE WAS jacked through the roof as she locked the door behind Riggs.
“He’s a good person,” Loriann said.
“Yes,” Cheyenne responded.
“A good husband, too?” Loriann asked.
“Yes.” Her admission wasn’t helping Cheyenne keep an emotional distance. Did she want to stay married to him? The short answer was yes. If only it was that easy. Life was complicated now that she’d pushed him away because she could never give him children, only to find out their daughter was alive.
The thought of Anya—that was to be their daughter’s name—being out there somewhere with another family sent a tsunami of emotions roaring through her. She had to shove them aside to focus on getting Loriann and her son out of the apartment in one piece.
“You should probably go and get your son now,” Cheyenne said to Loriann, figuring they would be on the move the second Riggs returned. She moved to the window with the view of the parking lot. She cracked it open and readied the gun. If the gray sedan came back, she wouldn’t hesitate to shoot.
From this vantage point, she was able to keep watch over Riggs. When he returned, he brought the vehicle with him, blocking three parking spots so he could be as close to the stairs as possible.
Relief like she’d never known washed over her as she watched him take the stairs. She closed and locked the window. The floor creaked behind her, indicating Loriann had returned. Cheyenne dropped the barrel of the gun, hiding it behind her leg in case the little boy woke. She didn’t want to frighten him and had no idea if he’d been around any type of weapon like this before.
“I can’t thank yo
u and your husband enough,” Loriann said quietly. The boy in her arms was more than half her size. His head rested on her shoulder and she bounced like she had an infant in her arms. The sweetness of the mother-child scene slammed into Cheyenne’s solar plexus. It hurt to breathe.
The fact Loriann kept referring to Riggs as Cheyenne’s husband wasn’t lost on her. There was no reason to explain how complicated their relationship was. And if she thought she could give him what he wanted...deserved...there’d be no talk of divorce. Make no mistake about it, Riggs O’Connor had been the best thing that ever happened to Cheyenne.
Riggs tapped on the door three times. Cheyenne raced to open it and usher him inside. After closing it behind him, she reached up on her tiptoes and gave him a kiss partly for luck and partly because recent events showed her how little was guaranteed in life.
He brought his hand up to cup her face before feathering a kiss on her lips. There was something so tender about Riggs’s kiss that it robbed Cheyenne’s ability to breathe.
A second later, the moment had passed, and they were wrangling Loriann and her son out of their home.
“You lead the way,” Riggs said to her. “I’ll take the back to ensure no one is lingering.”
Cheyenne nodded and did as requested. Thankfully, it was a short trip to the truck. She opened the passenger door and helped Loriann step inside. The boy in her arms stirred, opening his eyes for the briefest moment. He had the sweetest brown eyes. His cheeks were flush and his lashes long. He had the face of a cherub.
Loriann positioned in the back and her son sprawled out on the bench seat, holding tight to his teddy. Cheyenne helped with his blanket as he rolled over. Then she hopped into the passenger side and secured her seat belt. Shotgun at the ready, Riggs reclaimed the driver’s side.
The sun came up on the drive back to the ranch, giving Loriann the ability to see the full glory of KBR as they drove through security. A bunkhouse in one direction and barns in the other created a kind of grandeur that still wowed Riggs today when he slowed down.
“This is where you live?” Loriann asked, wide-eyed. The place would be considered grand by anyone’s standards. A guard at a security stand controlled entrance to the paved road leading to their massive white house.
“Technically, my mom lives in the main house. Our place is another half hour’s drive from here. I’d like to get the two of you situated before heading home,” Riggs said to Loriann.
“Are you sure it’ll be all right for us to stay here?” The wonder and disbelief in her voice was a little too familiar to Cheyenne. It was difficult to believe people who were this well off could be as kind and generous as the O’Connor family.
“Believe me when I say I had the same reaction the first time Riggs brought me home to meet the family. They’ll welcome you and Zachary with open arms. No questions asked,” Cheyenne said. It was true. She’d never met people like the O’Connors before. Part of her had been losing faith in the goodness in the world until Riggs.
He parked in front of the main house.
“I hope you’ll be comfortable here. Like my wife said, my mother will be pleased to have the company. She’s always complaining about rattling around in this big house by herself now that her children are grown,” he said. That seemed to put Loriann at ease.
As they started the process of exiting the vehicle, Cheyenne’s cell buzzed.
Riggs froze.
“Go on inside without me,” she said. “I’ll be right there.”
He nodded even though he looked reluctant to leave her there. She shooed him away, fishing for her cell phone inside her handbag. Besides, she had to give Ozzy a chance to stretch his legs.
Being at the main house brought back a whole slew of memories. His family had been nothing but welcoming. It was impossible not to feel like she let them down in some way. She hoped they realized she was hanging onto the end of her rope as best she could.
A quick check of the screen told her that her father was on the line. She caught the call right before it headed into voice mail.
“Hey, Dad,” she said. “Is everything okay?”
“I came as soon as I could,” her father said. His voice had lost the spark it once had. Hearing it again shocked her into the reality of what her future might look like without Riggs.
“Hold on a sec. What did you just say?” she asked.
Chapter Eighteen
“I’m here, knocking on your door. I see your car right there.” Cheyenne’s father spoke like she was standing on the porch with him and he was pointing it out.
“I texted you two weeks ago,” she said as panic gripped her. He’d come to Ally’s place?
“I’m sorry I couldn’t drive any faster,” he explained.
“You should have texted me back or called.” What if the driver of the gray sedan was watching Ally’s house? He might be expecting Cheyenne to come home where he could ambush her.
“Listen to me very carefully, Dad,” she began. “Leave right now. Okay?”
“What? Why?” Her dad’s confusion wasn’t helping with her fried nerves.
“You have to get out of there. It’s not safe,” she warned, praying he would listen to her and not question it. She might be overreacting, but she wasn’t willing to take a chance.
“What’s not safe, honey?” There was real concern in her father’s voice and she appreciated him for it.
“I don’t have time to explain right now. Get in your RV and start driving. You can come out to the ranch or—”
“What are you doing at the ranch? I thought you were staying here. Is everything all right between you and Riggs?” Her father sounded confused.
“Yes,” she said for lack of something better. It would be easier to explain once she got her father on the road and away from Ally’s place. “Drive right now. I need to see you.”
“Oh. Well, then. I’ll just get off the porch here, and walk back to the RV. I’m parked on the street.” As he’d gotten older, he’d developed a habit of giving her a play-by-play in situations like these.
“Yes. Hurry. It’s been too long since we’ve seen each other, and I need my father right now.” She let the emotions coursing through her play out in her tone. It was a ploy for his sympathy, but she didn’t have time to explain. She would do or say just about anything to get him out of harm’s way. The two of them might not be as close as they once were but she couldn’t risk anything bad happening to another person she loved.
“What’s the address?” he asked.
“Get in the RV and then give the phone to Virginia. I’ll direct you once you get on the road,” she urged.
“Well, all right. If it’s that important to you we’ll head on over,” he conceded.
“It is, Dad. It’s the most important thing you could ever do for me.” She wasn’t afraid to pour it on thick.
She heard him tell Virginia to stay in the RV. Virginia grumbled but she went along with what he said.
It was impossible in times like these not to compare Virginia to her mother. The two might resemble each other in looks but they couldn’t be more different when it came to their personalities.
Cheyenne let Ozzy run onto the lawn while she waited for her stepmother to pick up the phone. Rustling came over the line before the sound of the engine kicking over. She sighed with relief when she heard the two of them arguing about where they were going. She shouldn’t be surprised and yet it made her sad. Her parents had had one of those magical relationships. They rarely ever disagreed. Their house was filled with laughter and her mother’s happy squeals as she was being taken for a spin around the kitchen after supper.
She didn’t recognize her father’s life anymore. Now that she’d experienced loss, she didn’t blame him for wanting to fill the void. It struck her as strange how the two of them reacted in completely opposite ways to their grief. When Cheyenn
e was told her daughter was gone, she’d decided never to try to have children again, whereas her father had married the first woman he came across who looked like the wife he’d lost. While she couldn’t fathom trying to replace her child, she suddenly wondered if they were both equally wrong. Had they gone to opposite extremes?
“Hello, Cheyenne?” Virginia sounded like she half expected someone else to be on the line.
“Hi. Yes. It’s me,” Cheyenne responded, never quite sure how to speak to her stepmother.
“I’m sorry about your...situation.” Virginia sounded sorrowful.
“Thank you.” Cheyenne realized it was the first time she’d spoken to Virginia since losing the baby.
“I lost a pregnancy once and couldn’t get out of bed for a month,” her stepmother continued. “It’s awful.”
“I’m sorry to hear.” Cheyenne appreciated the sentiment. Virginia spoke more sincerely than she usually did. “You’re right about one thing. It’s the worst feeling.”
“It sure is.” The cold edge that had always been in Virginia’s voice softened.
The thought occurred to Cheyenne that it couldn’t possibly be easy to step into another woman’s shoes. And her dad was far less sad now that he was remarried. He’d been gutted after his wife’s death.
“Sounds like you guys are on the road now.” Cheyenne needed to change the subject and steer the conversation back on track. “This is going to sound like a strange question. I promise to explain later.”
“Go on,” Virginia urged.
“Is there a gray sedan anywhere near you?” Cheyenne held her breath while waiting for the answer.
“Let’s see.” There was a moment of silence before Virginia said, “No. Not one in sight.”
Cheyenne released the air in her lungs with a slow exhale. She rattled off the address of the ranch and told her dad to call when GPS said he was getting close. He mumbled something about finding an RV park first. She ended the conversation, picked up Ozzy and then turned to face the main house. Her chest squeezed.
