Ranger Protector (Texas Brothers 0f Company B Series Book 1)

by Angi Morgan

  The sun was warm, but the breeze made it cool enough for a jacket. He took her hand and pulled her a little closer until he could wrap his arm around her shoulders. She could possibly be in shock or still suffering from the drugs at the airport.

  He didn’t think too hard on whether it was appropriate or not. Especially when she leaned her face into the crook of his arm, not really crying, but her entire body jerked with a couple of sniffs.

  Definitely safer inside the truck, but he guessed she needed to be where she was. She took the comfort he offered. He kept silent, waiting for the rest of the story. Hiding as much of her as he could from the road that was getting busier with onlookers.

  “I told you the truth.” She sniffed. “Most of my work is inside a cubicle. But occasionally I take investigative trips.”

  “So you found something and took one to Dallas. Why?”

  “Actually, I was ordered to go. Which in itself is strange. They informed me after they’d already booked my ticket. I needed to meet with an insurance-company representative who had questions about several properties.”

  “An owner was getting too greedy?”

  Megan sat up straight, turning slightly so she could face him, brushing the makings of a tear away from the corner of her eye. “No, but they all have the same seller. All sold in the past seven months to different buyers. Approximately six weeks later, there was a fire ruled to be an accident. The buyers lost everything.”

  “That sounds sort of suspicious.” He kept an eye open for cars headed their direction, but most were moving away from the streets close to Megan’s home. Two additional fire trucks joined the other first responders. “What did you find?”

  “Well, that’s just it. The sales are legitimate. The fires were ruled accidental. Other than Harry Knight, the Dallas County Clerk, actually having signed as the notary, they didn’t have anything else in common.” A strand of hair blew across her lips, and she wrapped it around her ear.

  “That’s the man who was murdered? Is it strange for a county clerk to be a notary?”

  “He might be, sure. But that meant he was present at all the sales. That’s the strange part. Why would he be?”

  “Did you mention that to anyone else?”

  She shook her head, long curls hiding her face as she looked at her feet. “Just him. I asked if he thought there was anything strange about the transactions.”

  “You ask and he ends up dead. That’s where we start, with that connection.”

  “Come on. He wouldn’t kill himself and frame me for the murder. This situation has to be connected to a different case. I mean, they had someone who looked like me. Wouldn’t that take time, preparation?”

  “Just a tall, fairly good-looking woman and a wig.”

  “You think it’s that easy to imitate me?” She gave herself the once-over, sort of waiting for him to do the same.

  He accommodated her, appreciating every molecule. But in the end, he knew he was right. “They don’t need anything elaborate. If there’s one thing I know, eyewitness accounts are never completely accurate. All these guys had to do was get a woman who looked similar.”

  “And they’ve already gotten rid of her...along with my house.” She covered her face. “That’s awful. I’m thinking about my house, and two people are dead. That poor woman. And whatever Harry Knight was involved with...he didn’t deserve to die.”

  “It’s okay to be human, Megan, and think about yourself in all this mess. If you don’t, we won’t determine how to get you out of it.”

  She scooted off the tailgate and rubbed her arms. There was an easier way to get her warm. He’d never been one of those guys who thought about sex every six minutes.

  With Megan...he might slide into the norm.

  “Looks like this is what I’ll be wearing in lockup.” She slid the backs of her fingers down her sides. “We should probably get going.”

  Jack slammed the tailgate, then checked his watch. He’d only lasted three.

  Chapter Five

  “That’s the sixth time you’ve called your partner. Is he always this elusive?” Megan didn’t think her voice was shaking, but the nervous flutter in her throat verified how uncertain she was about what to do. She had to move forward. Waiting did no one any good.

  The possibilities in her mind wouldn’t stop whirring around like unpredictable fire. One thought led to another, then another. But sooner than later she landed on the poor, poor, pitiful me side of things and had to shake the thoughts away.

  “He’s probably busy.”

  “What?”

  Jack set his cell on the dash. “You asked about my partner.”

  “Oh, right.” Concentrate on something else. “Your sister doesn’t seem to like him much.”

  “She thinks he persuaded me to leave Liberty Hill. And she’s stuck working for my dad instead of me.”

  “Then why not blame you? Seems like there’s more to that story.”

  “Nope. That’s about all there is.” Jack dipped his chin, cleared his throat nervously and pressed his lips together.

  His phone rang and he answered using the hands-free device. “Sorry I didn’t call sooner, Mrs. D. But I’ve had something come up and can’t make any of the homecoming meeting.”

  “Little Jack, there is no excuse for this. Your father assured me that you’d handle the parade next Saturday. It’s huge this year, with over twenty floats. You need to be here instead of sending your sister as a surrogate.”

  “She’s perfectly capable. The parade isn’t that—”

  “If I remember correctly, young man, you were taught not to interrupt. So let me finish.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” Jack tapped the steering wheel with his thumbs.

  Megan covered her mouth to hide her chuckle. The older woman had just chastised Jack when she was the one interrupting. He raised his eyebrows and sighed. The man does have restraint.

  “How long will it take for you to get back? It will throw off my agenda, but we could move the parade to the end of the meeting.”

  “I really do apologize, but I’ve been called out of town. Gillie will be there. She’ll pass along anything that I need to do. I should be back in a couple of days.”

  “Jack MacKinnon Jr., I can’t believe you’re shirking your volunteer responsibilities.” His next-door neighbor kept talking.

  Or preaching. Megan tried not to laugh. She pressed her fingers into her lips, practically holding the giggles inside. Surprised that one phone call could clear her mind of the multiple “why me” traps.

  “I really am sorry, Mrs. D. I’d be there if my job hadn’t needed me. Gotta go.” He clicked the cell off. “Small town. You can laugh now.”

  “Sorry. It’s obviously important to her.”

  “Homecoming in Texas. Damn straight. Former state champs. This year’s team heads to playoffs if they win this week. Yeah, it’s important to a lot of people. But not as important as keeping you safe.”

  If she remembered correctly, they weren’t too far from the Rangers’ headquarters. All he had to do was dump her there and she’d be someone else’s problem. But he insisted on staying with her. She should thank Jack for his help and get her mind ready for an interrogation.

  But what about? Did she need to find a lawyer before they went inside? Would she be able to sort through this mistake—because it was definitely a mistake—with the Rangers?

  “Do you have other cases that might relate to the unusual fires or have someone with a grudge?”

  The levity was gone. Serious Texas Ranger was back behind the wheel.

  “I have twenty-seven open cases on my desk. Hundreds more that I’ve filed away. How am I supposed to determine which one is involved with a murder I didn’t commit? Especially without access to my files.”

  He slowed the truck, dropping his arm across the
back of the seat and letting his fingers touch her shoulder.

  “Megan—”

  “Please don’t tell me that everything will work out.”

  “We’re being followed.”

  “What?” She jerked her head around to look out the back window. His fingers blocked her movement, keeping her facing him. “You’ve got to be kidding. How would they know where we are?”

  “No, no, just look at me. It’s a black SUV, dark windows. There’s an identical one three cars ahead.”

  “No chance they’re law enforcement?” She identified both of the vehicles and decided the answer was a big fat no. “Call it in. You can do that, right?”

  Jack’s free hand was already headed to his phone. She kept alternating her peripheral vision from the SUV she could see in the side mirror to the one slowing down in front. Slowing down with just one car between them.

  “...that’s right. I’m bringing in Megan Harper, who voluntarily surrendered. We’re being followed, maybe ambushed. Sure, I’ll stay on the line.”

  “The one in front has cracked its windows. Is that bad? Are they trying to shoot us?”

  “Hang on.”

  Jack slowed down for a red light, forcing the SUV in front to go through it. He pulled into the intersection and did a U-turn in front of approaching traffic. Cars slammed on their brakes, tires squealed to a halt, but there were no crashes that Megan could see or hear.

  “The front SUV is caught in its lane. They’ll have to make a right-hand turn to come back.” Megan no longer hid her stares.

  “We weren’t as lucky with the rear SUV. They turned as soon as I stopped traffic.” Jack looked over his left shoulder.

  The SUV was alongside his truck. Outlines of two men could be seen in the front seat. The windows in the back were too dark. Then there it was...a gun barrel.

  “Gun,” she warned Jack as soon as the barrel appeared.

  Horns blasted, including Jack’s as he darted back and forth. There were three lanes on Lamar Boulevard and Jack was using them all, trying to break away from the SUV.

  “Pick up the phone and turn on the hands-free.”

  How he could issue instructions completely composed was beyond Megan. She was a wreck, but she did what he said.

  “There are an awful lot of people around here. What if they begin shooting?”

  “Were we disconnected? Hit Redial.”

  She did even though he hadn’t answered her question, but it was obvious he was aware. He kept looking, searching. He’d jerk the wheel but quickly rethink turning when it might put another car at risk.

  “Where’s my backup?”

  “It’s not working. No signal. I’ll try mine.” She grabbed her computer bag from the back seat, got to her phone and lifted it for him to see. “No service. Nothing.”

  “They must be jamming us. They’re also forcing us away from headquarters and any local police.”

  “What are we going to do?” She thought about the woman who was supposedly in her house when it blew up. “I...I don’t want anyone else to get hurt. But seriously, I don’t want to, either.”

  “Looks like we’re on our own. If they’re jamming the signal, then they aren’t talking to each other. It’ll make it harder for them to coordinate, and I might be able to shake them.”

  He turned, tires squealing, and calmly tipped his dimpled chin toward the cells. “Power down the phones so the GPS stops. Once we lose them, we don’t want them to find us again.”

  “Sure. Sure. I can do that.”

  Jack sped up and fishtailed around a corner. She swayed back and forth as he drove with a determination she hadn’t seen since her last days as a police officer.

  That was right—she was a former police officer. Not a victim.

  Never a victim.

  She turned the GPS off, powered down and then stowed the phones in the compartment between the seats. Then she unlooped the shoulder strap from her body and unplugged his two-way radio. “Do you have any type of locator on the truck? Anything for emergencies?”

  “You just took care of it.” He smiled and quirked an eyebrow.

  “Do you know this area of Austin?” She did. When he shook his head, she took a deep breath to push forward with her idea. “Since they aren’t firing on us, I think we could navigate through some smaller neighborhoods. Places around here have detached garages and driveways that wrap behind the house. Some are big with lots of brush.”

  “Got it. Tell me where.”

  “I’ll watch the SUV. You watch in front of us. When I say go, take a left. Then step on it, take another quick left. Then find a place to kill the engine.”

  North Lamar wasn’t the perfect spot to try to pull away from another vehicle. The street was straight, but their opportunity came when a car directly behind them slowed to turn. The SUV had to slow, too.

  “Now.”

  “This isn’t a neighborhood like you suggested. It’s better.”

  Eyes still out the rear window, she noticed they were passing automotive shops full of large vehicles. “If you can get off this street and turn before they see us, they might have to check all these parking lots.”

  Fortunately, no one jumped out in front of the truck. The block wasn’t a short one, but Jack managed to keep at least two of the tires on the pavement as he whipped around the corner. He kept the pace up, blew through the next stop sign and the next. He skidded to a stop, causing Megan to rush forward and catch herself before hitting the dash. He reversed into a yard.

  “Get that gate open farther, Megan.”

  Across the grass, gates open, truck through and gates closed. She didn’t know she could move that fast. She jumped back into the truck before looking around. He backed under some trees and cut the engine.

  “Good idea. Great, in fact.”

  “Only if they don’t find us.”

  Jack turned the key and lowered the windows. The neighborhood seemed strangely silent. Then her ears zeroed in on all the noises that were the layers of background in the suburbs. Sounds she rarely noticed when she was in her backyard.

  A car horn from several blocks away. Some hip-hop played. She caught mostly the backbeat, so it must be several houses away. No one approached. No one drove by.

  She relaxed enough to look at Jack. When had he removed his weapon from its holster? He had it ready, pressed against his denim-covered thigh. The breeze that had cooled her so quickly on the back of the truck drifted through along with the hot perspiration of waiting.

  “I think my heart is finally slowing a bit,” she whispered, desperately wanting water. “And my throat is as dry as most of my plants. Well, former plants. None of them survived that explosion.”

  “I have a couple of waters in the back. I hadn’t unloaded everything from my drive down. Let’s give it a couple more minutes.” He moved his Glock to his lap.

  The tension was there in his movements, in the slight crease between his eyes. But not in his voice. He sounded normal. So did that mean he was carefully controlling everything? Or had he been tense the entire time she’d been with him?

  * * *

  THE SECONDS TICKED by as Jack tried to watch the 360 degrees around them. Behind him his line of sight was limited to the rearview and side mirrors. He didn’t want to move too much, possibly making Megan nervous.

  Three more minutes and they’d been in the lot for fifteen. She’d drawn in her breath as if she were about to speak, but had stopped herself and checked her watch again. She dry coughed nervously.

  “Let me get the water.”

  She nodded. The ding-ding-ding of leaving his keys in the ignition sounded loud enough to alert everyone on the block of their presence. He let it ding and holstered his Glock. He opened the customized side compartment that held his cooler and removed a couple of waters.

  From ground le
vel, he couldn’t see over the fence, but he heard an engine close by. Probably on the corner. He got back inside and repositioned his holster, then started the truck.

  “Do you think it’s them?”

  “Drink up.” He handed her the bottle, then cracked the lid on his.

  The vehicle had slowed but passed by without stopping. The wooden fence allowed him to see something was there, but not what color. Maybe the men after them... Maybe someone cruising the neighborhood. Those men were armed and sincerely determined. He was risking a lot parked here and wanted to leave as quickly as possible.

  Why hadn’t the SUV guys shot at them? They’d been close enough a couple of times. So why not? No front license plates. They’d been careful not to get close enough for an ID. Yeah, they could walk up to him and he wouldn’t be able to pick them out.

  Megan released a long sigh. Her knuckles were no longer white with fright. She had some of her natural color back. More than earlier when they’d been headed to headquarters.

  “Are you this calm all the time? Just curious.” She paused to take a sip, then a gulp. “I spent two years in the San Antonio PD. I thought I’d love it. Had dreamed about being a cop and putting the bad guys away. It didn’t take long for the golden dream to tarnish. You mentioned the border patrol. How long were you a part of that?”

  “Can we...um...talk later?”

  “Oh, sure. Sorry.” She twisted the bottle top back on and dropped the bottle into a cup holder. “I’ll get the gate.”

  Jack caught her hand, and she questioned him with a look.

  “Leave it open this time.”

  She acknowledged with a nod and jumped from the cab. The bright booster shirt was easy to see. So was his. They’d have to get some other clothing soon. His sister’s jeans fit Megan pretty good. Snug enough to draw his attention away from the purple T-shirt.

  Once the gate was open, she waved him forward and got inside again before he pulled through. The ride through the neighborhood was different this time. Slow and cautious instead of fast and furious.

  “You’re turning west. Aren’t the Rangers south of here?”