by T. K. Lukas
The puma, stalking atop a rocky ridge. The pheasant, camouflaged against fall’s vibrant leaves. The mountain goat, balanced on a precipitous crest. The buck, leaping across a meandering stream. The coyote, trotting through bending wheat grass. All were either hunting or being hunted. Their eyes gave everything away.
Car tires chewing up gravel drew her attention away from the paintings. She walked into the kitchen and peered out the window to see the sheriff and the game warden drive past on their way to the gate. The dead deer lay in the bed of the warden’s pickup truck. In the back seat of each vehicle sat a prisoner. Markus’s Jeep, the third in line, pulled up the short drive to the lodge. He got out and waved, giving her two thumbs up and a satisfied smile.
He took the cup of coffee she held out as he walked into the kitchen. “Thank you, Sidney.” He smiled and leaned against the sink, stroking Rex’s muzzle.
“You’re welcome.” She sipped her coffee and watched over the rim of her cup the man she’d just witnessed brutally displace another man’s arm from its socket. Threaten to blow that man’s head off—and he meant it, she had no doubt.
That Markus now seemed so calm and relaxed registered in two different places within her—her fight-or-flight gut said this man himself might be dangerous, while her rational mind said this man and his ranch might provide the refuge she needed. She wasn’t sure what to make of it. Both her gut and her mind seemed to be flipping a coin.
“Man, those two played right into a script, almost as if I’d written their lines.” Markus shook his head, chuckling. “I told the Game Warden I’d asked the L. A. airhead something about trespassing, and she took off like a scared jackrabbit. Those two idiots jumped right in about your being a bubble-headed actress from L. A. who probably didn’t want publicity, and since the witness to the crime fled the scene, they should be let go.”
“Seriously?” Sidney asked, eyes wide.
“What dumbasses. The Game Warden said the dead deer with their crossbow arrow buried in its thoracic cavity was witness enough, along with my statement.”
“Thank you for keeping my name out of it. I’m curious, though. I’d just pressed the panic button and out you came from the shadows, gun in hand. How’d you get there so quickly?”
Markus pulled out a chair for her at the breakfast table and she sat, waiting for his answer. He moved to the chair across from her and spooned granola and yogurt into their bowls as he spoke. “I unleash my superhero on special occasions. This seemed special enough.”
She studied him as he finished mixing their breakfast, wondering what superhero name she’d give this smoky-eyed Johnny-on-the-spot. “Seriously, how’d you get there so fast?”
“You said you didn’t stop when you ran,” he said, handing her a bowl. “I set the alarm for ninety seconds instead of three minutes. I figured that if you stopped for a minute and a half, you were probably in trouble.”
“Ninety seconds?”
He nodded. “The stop movement alarm showed you were on top of the ridge, but when I got there, I didn’t see you. At the duck pond, I heard the release and contact of their arrow striking the deer. I thought you’d been hit. I headed toward that sound. I also heard voices. Then, the panic alarm buzzed and I was already there.”
“Ah. I guess it was lucky I stopped up on the ridge to admire the landscape.”
“Yes.” Markus nodded at her. “Lucky, indeed.”
“You got pretty rough with that one guy…” Sidney’s voice faltered.
With both hands, Markus gripped the edge of the table and leaned forward, closing the space between them. “When I arrived on the scene, that guy was going to kill you for witnessing a crime that would send him back to prison. Who knows what they would have done to you first.” He paused, letting his remark sink in. “I was gracious, leaving his other shoulder intact.”
Sidney stared up at the ceiling. She felt chastened by the brutal truth of his words and the intensity of his demeanor. “You’re right. I’m grateful you showed up when you did.”
“Look at me, Sidney.” His eyes locked on to hers as she lowered her gaze. “Sid—you have no idea of the level of badness—of pure evil—that’s in this world.”
“In this world? I’m a psychologist with a cushy office and a few clients who count on me to help them put their broken lives back together. I hand-select jurors. I’ve got a manicurist and hair stylist, both of whom make house calls. My jumping coach hauls my mare to competitions where I show up, ride, and then I leave to go home with my trophies.” She paused, gulped air, and tried to swallow the panicky feeling of hyperventilating.
“I didn’t mean to insult you. I was trying to point out—”
Sidney held up both hands. “Let me finish. This is about my world. I’ve never had much badness in my life, until—my husband… Badness, for me, had been the occasional snotty cashier at the dry cleaners who insisted my Hermes blouse was already ruined when I brought it in. You’re right. I had not run across this kind of badness in my daily life. But, I’m beginning to understand pure evil on a personal level…”
Sidney threw her head back and stared up at the ceiling again. Sucked in deep breaths. Struggled to keep from bawling her eyes out. It would be so easy to let go and to allow the tears to flow. She closed her lids tightly, squeezing back the tears. She bit down on her lip and brought her emotions under a semblance of control. She knew she’d gone far beyond simply beginning to understand evil. When she felt confident in her voice, she leveled her gaze at Markus.
“There’s no beginning about it. I understand full well, on an intimate and personal level, the danger I’m in. It frightens the hell out of me.”
Markus reached his arm across the table and took her hand. “I don’t mean to frighten you further, but the men you’re dealing with are far more dangerous than a couple of poachers, if Trevor’s email was correct.”
“His email was correct.”
“Trevor said someone—your husband—has hurt you. I won’t let that happen on my watch. Have you come to a conclusion about leaving, or staying?
“Yes.” Sidney gripped his hand, her voice decisive. “I’m staying in Alpine.”
CHAPTER 11
Alpine
As much as she could be certain of anything, she felt it was safe to remain in Alpine. With that decision behind her, she forced down what little she could manage of her breakfast, disregarding what felt like a huge stone in her stomach.
Markus had carried her suitcases up to the apartment, indicating the two well-appointed rooms for her to pick from. She’d chosen the “Retro-Cowgirl” suite instead of the “John Wayne” suite, although sleeping with “The Duke” watching over her had a certain protective appeal. She quickly unpacked what little she had brought, shoving the two empty suitcases under the bed. That task complete, she made a quick check of what supplies she would need to buy on their trip into town.
While she waited for Markus to return, she wandered around the apartment. Though a two-bedroom suite built above the barn for the manager’s use, it seemed as spacious and elegant as a custom-built home. A floor-to-ceiling window on the north wall allowed an unrestricted view of the indoor riding arena below. Sidney thought the place looked like an advertisement straight out of a glossy, high-end magazine. There was nothing musty about it, despite Markus describing it as such.
With an hour to kill before their trip to town, she had plenty of time for pacing the floor. Sidney checked her watch. For the fourth time, she pulled her cellphone from her pocket, looking for a missed call. She sat by the fireplace and flipped through the pages of a random book. Jangled nerves and anxiety interfered with breathing. With concerted effort, she tried to push her apprehension aside.
Call me, Trevor, for God’s sake.
A sharp knock at the door jolted her. She jumped like a frightened rabbit. She hurried over to it on quiet feet and pressed her eye against the peephole. Breathing a sigh of relief, she opened the door.
“Hi, come on in
,” Sidney stepped aside, allowing Markus to enter. “You’re a bit early. I wasn’t expecting you just yet.”
“Sorry, but I thought you’d want to see this.” Markus handed her a sheet of paper. “An email from Trevor. I printed it out for you.” At the look on Sidney’s face, he added, “He’s been trying to call you, but couldn’t get through. He’s fine, but, well, go ahead and read.”
She scanned the email, her lips pursed, her eyebrows knitted with worry as she read. “Now I understand why he didn’t call yesterday while I was driving here. Spending the day at the emergency room with his mother trumped buying a new phone. Poor Eli. Sounds like she’ll be all right, though.”
The email explained that Eli, weak from her last chemotherapy treatment, had fainted. She fell, and the gash she received above her right eyebrow had required several stitches. She was fine, more worried about Sidney than anything else. Trevor had left emails for Markus as well as for Sidney, in hopes that one or the other would see it. The email also included his new cellphone number, “just in case the damned cellular gods decide to bless the connection.”
“I should get my laptop out and shoot him a quick email,” said Sidney, handing the paper back to Markus.
“I replied and told him you arrived safely. I gave him a brief run-down of this morning’s encounter with the poachers. I told him you’d contact him ASAP. Here’s the Wi-Fi password.” Markus wrote out the code on Trevor’s email and handed it back to Sidney.
“Do I have time to email him before we head to town? Are you in a hurry?”
“You have time. I’m in no hurry. Just the opposite. In fact, I’ve changed our plans, if you’ll indulge me.”
“Oh, really? What’s up?”
“I want to show you around the ranch first, before we go to town. When you’re through emailing, meet me down in the barn and be ready to ride. Does that sound okay to you?”
The expression on her face might have been enough, but she added, “Yes. That sounds like a welcome distraction.”
*****
Markus rode in the opposite direction from where the poaching incident had occurred. He wanted to steer clear of the bad memory or of anything that might cause Sidney to feel anxious. With almost 3600 acres belonging to Yeager Stables and Hunting Lodge, there were plenty of other trails to choose from. His goal was for Sidney to relax and enjoy the ride. He wanted her to understand she could trust him. Once that was established, he needed her to confide in him.
He had to get her to tell him—in her own words with no holds barred—what the hell was going on.
The information he’d gleaned from the background check about her and her husband couldn’t be divulged. Those facts would have to come from her. He knew from experience that this might prove tricky, that a frightened woman would seldom bare her soul to a man she’d just met.
Markus turned around in his saddle to look back at Sidney. “Blue is a little different than your mare. Not as tall as Mocha, but you look good on her. Do you like her?”
Sidney patted the roan mare on the neck. “I love her. She handles like a dream.”
“She’s one of my favorites. When the trail opens up a bit wider once we cross the creek, we can ride side by side.”
“Sounds good. So, how long were you in the Marines?”
“Six years before being medically discharged.”
“Ah. The scar on your leg.” She paused before proceeding. “I, uh, I noticed it yesterday when I first pulled up at your gate. Is that why you were discharged? Am I being too personal?”
“You can ask me anything.” He hoped she’d be as amenable to answering his questions once the tables were turned. “And yes. The bullet that ripped through my leg, taking my knee with it, made being a Marine a bit difficult.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“I’m good as new, now, thanks to the bionic knee. I run faster, jump higher, and ride longer than I ever did before.” He tried for a light tone, yet not flippant.
Sidney rode her mare up next to his as they crossed the creek. They stopped midstream, allowing the horses to drink. “Any other wounds?”
“A few.”
“Are you all healed up and scarred over?” Her expression conveyed unmistakable sincerity.
A long silence hovered between them like a thin cloud, dark enough to cast a shadow but transparent enough for the truth to shine through. “Yes. I’m healed up and scarred over. Completely.”
“Good. I’m glad.” Sidney’s puzzled look let Markus know she wasn’t convinced. “And then what? Did you move to Alpine right away?”
“No. After I was medically discharged and recovered from my wounds, I hired on with a private security firm. My assignments were mostly on high-risk offshore oil platforms for clients in the Middle East.”
“Sounds risky.”
“It was.”
“Did you burn out? What brought you to Alpine? And how long have you been here?”
Markus laughed. “I expected I’d be the one asking questions. Now, I’m being interrogated.”
“Questions about what?”
“Nothing. Never mind.”
They rode their horses up out of the creek and followed the wide deer trail, the two mares walking shoulder-to-shoulder. The blue sky and warm sunshine seemed more suited to a spring day rather than one in late November. Adding to the moment, a constant chattering of mockingbirds, swallows, and sparrows filled the air.
Markus removed his water bottle from its holder attached to the pommel of his saddle and offered Sidney a drink. She took the bottle and drank, mouthing ‘thanks’ as she handed it back. He noticed that her fingers lingered on the bottle, allowing his fingers a longer moment of contact. He wondered if that were purposeful or accidental. The notion she had done that on purpose, had let his fingers linger on hers, aroused him, and he reproached himself for thinking like a schoolboy. He took a gulp of water from the bottle and returned it to its holder.
“I didn’t mean to sound like I was interrogating you.”
“No worries.” Markus spurred his horse into an easy trot. Sidney followed his lead. “Did I burn out? Yes, sort of. I’ve been in Alpine almost three years. And, you’ll meet the reason I came to Alpine later when we go to town. I’ll take you to my favorite place for lunch.”
“You moved here for a restaurant?” Sidney trotted alongside Markus.
“No. For a person. Come on, let’s gallop.” Spurring his horse into a run, he threw slack to the reins, giving the mare her head. The need was strong to gain distance from the creek where the horses had watered—from the place where he’d had sexual thoughts about Sidney and been reminded that he was still a man.
It was that same distraction that had almost cost him his life on his last mission in Sarajevo. It had cost Sonja hers. He’d allowed his carnal desires to interfere with the mission. He would never forgive himself. He would never forget. And, he’d never let it happen again.
*****
They walked their horses toward the barn at a slow, lingering pace. The closer they neared to the stables, the slower the pace became, as if neither wanted the conversation to end. Sidney appeared to enjoy the brief respite from her desperate situation, while Markus continued to hope she would open up and share her secrets.
“I’ll unsaddle the horses,” Markus offered, “if you need time to freshen up before we head to town.
“Thank you. I also want to send a quick email to my attorney, and check to see if Trevor’s responded to my earlier message.”
“Rex and I’ll be down here waiting. No rush.” He watched as she skipped up the stairs, taking them two at a time, and he wondered how she could appear so carefree on the outside, when on the inside, he imagined she must have been holding back a tsunami of emotions.
His earlier assessment proved correct. Sidney was too frightened to bare her soul. The ride had been pleasant, and she shared stories of her childhood, talked briefly about her grandfather and her cousin, of her dreams and aspirations as a
young girl, and of her love of horses. But she did not tell him what he needed to know most: why she was running from the man she was divorcing, a man she called “the devil.” He also wanted to know if this devil acted alone.
Markus’s gut told him the answer to the second question was a definite “No. There must be others.” As to the first question, he had a good idea why she was divorcing and running from her husband. But that information was sparse—almost clinical—and privately obtained. He had to hear the inside story from the woman on the run.
After unsaddling the two mares and turning them out to pasture, Markus strolled over to the wash bay where horses were bathed, groomed, and vet-checked. He washed his face and hands in the industrial sink normally used for soaking bandages, leg rolls, and veterinary implements. He could have gone to the more elaborate restroom in his office, but this was quicker, more convenient, and he used it often.
“I should have invited you up to use the guest bathroom. That was rude of me.” Sidney had changed into skintight jeans that she’d tucked into knee-high black boots, and the black sweater she wore showed off her curves.
“No worries. This gets the job done.” He snatched a section from the roll of paper towels and swiped it over his face. “I see you’ve gone blond again.”
“I think it’s the right call, don’t you?”
“It was absolutely the right call, putting on that silly blond wig.” He winked and smiled, his dimples registering the depth of his amusement. “Seriously, remaining incognito everywhere except for here where it’s safe for you to—”
“Let my hair down?”
“I was going to say, ‘be yourself,’ but, yes.” Markus took Sidney by the elbow and guided her toward the Jeep.
