Rescued by the Ranger

by Dixie Lee Brown

  As for Garrett—she didn’t know what to think. Earlier, he’d promised to help her through this, and apparently that was a promise she could take to the bank. Oh, but his bossy, domineering ways drove her crazy. In spite of that, she was attracted to his strength and chivalry, and yes, he was a hunk. She bit her lip to keep from smiling. No sense in trying to understand her feelings, but she had to admit it. Garrett was a good guy. He was determined to stand beside her, ignoring the danger to himself. That was worth something, and she should give him a break. While she was at it, she might as well admit to herself that he was growing on her. She liked him, damn it. And because she did, she wasn’t in a position to ignore the very real threat Jeremy presented to him. So, she’d swallow her pride, keep her hands to herself, and go with him until she was far away from here. Then she’d leave him behind as well. He had to sleep sometime.

  Chapter Eleven

  GARRETT GLANCED AT the woman in the seat beside him, staring out the passenger window. She’d turned her back to him as much as possible, one leg folded beneath her and arms crossed over her chest as though she was cold. If only that were the case, but he knew better. Rachel had completely shut down as soon as they left Sally’s place thirty minutes ago, but beneath that quiet, stoic exterior, he suspected a flame burned, preparing to erupt into a wildfire at any moment. So far, she’d ignored his attempts to draw her into conversation, and the tension inside the vehicle was at about DEFCON 2. Even Cowboy gave a low whimper every few minutes, wagging his tail and doing a little happy dance with his front legs every time Garrett looked his way. Rachel ignored him, too.

  “Are you hungry, Rach?” It wasn’t in his nature to give up, especially since he’d be sleeping with one eye open from now on if he couldn’t make peace with her.

  “No. Thank you.”

  Garrett managed to hide his grin. He’d gotten actual words—polite words if you didn’t count the churlishness with which they were delivered. It was a start. “Luke put some water in the back. Thirsty?”

  “I’m fine. Thanks.” She glanced over her shoulder, but her eyes didn’t quite meet his.

  “Before I forget, you should turn off your cell phone. We’ll check it later for messages.”

  Rachel hesitated briefly before leaning forward enough to pull the phone from her back pocket. She cradled it in both hands then finally hit the off button, and the screen went black. Even then, she continued to stare at the blackness, and when trembling seized her shoulders, it was a few seconds before Garrett realized she was having a meltdown.

  He had to clamp his hands around the steering wheel to keep from reaching for her. It was purely instinct that told him she’d react badly to any comfort he might offer. As hard as it would be, he had to wait for Rachel to turn to him.

  At the next wide spot in the road, he pulled over, let Cowboy scramble out behind him, and gave Rachel her privacy. As the dog investigated the brush, Garrett dialed Jase’s number and got his voice mail. “Something’s come up. I need you to put the investigation on hold for now. I’ve got a more urgent matter that needs your magic touch. Call me as soon as you can. Thanks, Jase.” He ended the call and stared at the phone, debating whether to call his little brother. He couldn’t tell Luke that they were headed northeast toward Coeur d’Alene. Tonight, after they found a place to stay, he’d call to make sure Aunt Peg was adjusting to the changes.

  Cowboy was still smelling and claiming the new territory. He never wandered out of Garrett’s general vicinity. It’d been ingrained in the dog to always be within sight of his handler. It was barely midmorning, and traffic was scarce on the narrow but well-maintained state highway they traveled. Still, not a good idea to stay out in the open too long.

  He skirted the front of the Explorer, glancing through the windshield. Rachel leaned back in the seat, her eyes closed. He propped himself against the side of the vehicle just beyond her door. Crossing his legs and jamming his fingers in the front pockets of his jeans, he waited.

  After about five minutes, she cranked the window down a few inches. “What are you waiting for?”

  He smirked. Her impatience was showing. “Nothing. Just enjoying the sunshine.”

  An indelicate snort reached his ears before she closed the window. He didn’t move. Just waited some more.

  Two minutes passed before she opened her door and stepped out. Cowboy bounded up to say hello, and she knelt down and gave him a good scratch. He was in heaven. Shit. Garrett would have been, too.

  She finally straightened, closed her door, and leaned beside him. “Where are we going?”

  “Coeur d’Alene or maybe Sandpoint.” Garrett itched to free his hands from his pockets and pull her against him—to wrap his arms around her and keep her safe. He’d never had any woman bring out this need to protect before.

  “Why?” Her voice was breathy as she glanced toward the ground.

  “It’s far enough from the lodge that if Jeremy’s going to follow us, he’ll have to forget about the folks back there and move on. And there are more people. He may get careless if he thinks he’s just another face in the crowd.” Garrett sneaked a glance at her, but her thick red hair covered the side of her face, and he had no idea how she was reacting.

  As though in response, she pushed away from the side of the Explorer, resting her hands on her hips, and looked straight ahead. With no warning, she swiveled and stepped into him, the top of her head coming to just below his chin. The smell of jasmine filled his senses and wreaked havoc with his self-control. Surprise kept him from putting his arms around her until she’d snuggled tightly against him from thigh to chest, her hands fisted in the fabric of his shirt at his waist.

  When he finally gave in and hugged her to him, she fit just right to his body as if she’d been made especially for him. She felt right in his arms. The intensity of his possessiveness shocked him, and he instinctively loosened his hold on her. Turning to him for comfort was definitely a step in the right direction, but her emotions were all over the board right now and it probably wouldn’t take much to make her turn away again.

  “I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me. I just needed to feel the warmth of another human being.” She didn’t move away, but tilted her chin so she looked in his eyes.

  “Don’t apologize. I’m happy to provide that warmth anytime you feel the need.” Her lips were so close to his, it would be a true test of his resolve to resist them, especially having already tasted their honeyed sweetness.

  Rachel smiled wistfully and looked down again. “I hope I didn’t hurt you back there . . . you know . . . when I knocked you down.”

  Garrett chuckled ruefully. “Only my pride.”

  She locked gazes with him again, a sparkle of amusement in her eyes. “You kind of deserved it . . . sneaking up on me like that. Jonathan’s been teaching me self-defense for the last five or six years, and that was the first chance I’ve had to practice for real. It would have worked too, if not for your dog.”

  He threw caution to the wind and kissed her adorable nose. “Well, there are reasons why I keep him around. He sees farther, detects odors humans can’t smell, hears the slightest sound from incredible distances, runs faster, and seems to have an amazing ability to decide who’s trustworthy and who isn’t. I aspire to be like him when I grow up.”

  “I see. Will the shedding and the cold nose be part of the package?”

  Garrett laughed and rubbed his nose over hers. “Only time will tell.”

  Threading her arms around his waist, she pulled them even closer. “Garrett, why are you doing this? If Jeremy finds us, he’ll kill you.”

  Garrett slid his hands up her back until they landed on her shoulders, and he pushed her away slightly so he could see her face. “I hope he tries. We’ll be ready for him, Rachel. We’ll have each other’s backs. And don’t forget our secret weapon over there.” He nodded toward a patch of grass beyond the graveled shoulder where Cowboy was rolling on his back.

  Free and easy laugh
ter spilled from her as they both watched the dog. She seemed reluctant to break contact, and that was okay by him, but finally he turned her toward the car and opened the door. “Time to hit the road.”

  She stood still for a moment as she studied his face, her gaze dropping to his mouth. Then, suddenly, she stretched up and brushed his lips with hers.

  Every muscle in his body jumped to attention, and as she turned and ducked into the vehicle, he caught her arm and pulled her back. “Not fair. I wasn’t ready.” He dipped his head and covered her mouth with his, tasting, nipping, and scraping his teeth over her lips until she opened for him. He took her mouth, thrusting deep, the same way he longed to take her luscious body in a much more fulfilling way. But his goal was all about trust, and sex wasn’t the key to earning hers. He gently kissed her twice, then reluctantly pushed her toward the open door.

  Garrett called the dog as he walked stiffly to his side of the Explorer, thanks to his growing arousal. Not a cold shower in sight. Cowboy jumped in and Garrett climbed awkwardly into his seat. One look at Rachel’s grin told him she hadn’t missed the reason for his shuffling gait.

  “Is there something you’d like to say?” His gaze dropped to her lips again.

  She raised her hands in mock surrender. “I wouldn’t touch that with a ten-foot pole.” At which point she leaned forward and uncontrollable laughter spewed forth.

  “Funny.” Garrett grumbled under his breath, but in reality, he was so glad to see her laugh again after the events of the morning, he didn’t mind being the cause.

  He started the Explorer and reentered the roadway. They had about a four-hour drive ahead of them—farther if they decided to go to Sandpoint. The map Jonathan had given him was tucked beside his seat. If he remembered correctly, Lewiston was an hour or so up the road. Maybe he could talk her into getting a bite to eat there.

  Ten minutes later, his phone rang. Jase’s name and number appeared on the in-dash screen. This could no doubt spoil the inroads he and Rachel had made toward restoring peace between them.

  He turned toward her. “Up to answering some questions?”

  Apprehension darkened her eyes, but she nodded.

  Garrett pressed the button on the steering wheel, allowing the call to be answered through the hands-free device. “Hey, Jase. Thanks for calling, buddy.”

  “What the hell, man? First you want me to drop everything and go chasing ancient history. Now you want to move on to something else just when I’m starting to get somewhere?” Jase sounded more excited than disturbed, which probably meant he really had found something.

  Garrett ached to know what the man had uncovered, but one glance at Rachel and it could wait. “We’ll get back to that. If it makes you feel any better, I need your help on a matter of life and death.”

  “Cool. Whose?”

  “Mine, asshole. Why else would I be calling you?” Garrett grinned at the gleeful laughter coming over the speakers and the cute-as-hell smile replacing Rachel’s wary expression. “Listen. This is serious and it involves a beautiful lady. Her name is Rachel Maguire, and she’s sitting right beside me. So watch your language and keep a civil tongue, okay?”

  Jase’s voice filled the cab on a huff. “Hello, beautiful lady. Even though Garrett has impugned my reputation, rest assured that I will always be the most civil of the two of us.”

  Rachel smiled and amusement again crept into her eyes. “Nice to meet you, Jase. After seeing your friend Garrett in action for the last couple of days, I’m inclined to believe you.”

  “Hey! Am I going to have to separate the two of you already?” Garrett reached for her hand and squeezed, giving her a wink when she glanced his way. Her gorgeous smile made his breath catch.

  “Okay, here’s what we need. Rachel is being stalked by a man she’s never met who signs his cards and notes as Jeremy. That’s likely not his real name, but it is likely he’s responsible for the death of her friend Chance, whose murder was never solved.” He turned to Rachel, giving her a chance to add pertinent information, but she apparently wasn’t ready to talk to Jase yet.

  “And Chance’s last name was . . . ” The sound of flipping pages no doubt meant Jase was searching for a blank sheet to jot some notes.

  A shadow crossed Rachel’s face. “DeMaris.”

  “I can tell this is hard for you, beautiful lady, so we’re going to get through it as quickly as possible. Okay? Where did the incident happen? And how long ago?”

  Rachel inhaled slowly. “It will be ten years this August. Plainview, Texas.”

  “Texas, huh? You’ve done an excellent job of losing the drawl. Now, this guy, Jeremy, any idea where he may have come in contact with you?”

  “I worked in a nightclub called Barney’s. I always assumed it was someone who frequented the bar, but no one stands out in my mind. There was never a shortage of strange and sometimes unacceptable behavior exhibited by the patrons in that setting.” Rachel’s cheeks turned a rosy pink.

  “What about the employees? Anything unusual there?”

  “No, I don’t think so. I didn’t socialize with them outside of work, but they seemed normal.” She twirled a lock of hair nervously and leaned her head against the seatback.

  Cowboy whined. Garrett could relate. He reached to lay his hand on Rachel’s thigh, wanting to remind her she wasn’t alone. She jumped as if he’d shocked her, and she blinked a couple of times. A relieved sigh escaped her lips, and her hand covered his, twining their fingers together. Her breath came faster, but she smiled and held on as if her life depended on it.

  “Stalkers are mentally disturbed for sure, but they’re also smart and know how to stay below the radar. They can blend in. What about neighbors, Rachel? Did you get any weird vibes from any of them?” Jase’s compassionate side came out as he asked his questions. Garrett appreciated that.

  “I lived in a duplex. My next-door neighbors were a nice retired couple. I didn’t really pay much attention to anyone else.”

  “I need the address and the name of the retired couple.”

  Rachel set the phone on the console and reached for her bag. She pulled out a wallet and searched until she found a small slip of paper. “Eight ninety-five South Irving Street. I was in unit A. Stan and Alice DuPont were in unit B.”

  “You wouldn’t happen to remember the name of the homicide detective assigned to Chance’s murder, would you?” Jase sounded doubtful.

  “Detective Ian Michaels. He’s not likely to forget my name, either. I’ve called him at least once a month since Chance died.” Rachel glanced toward the side window, her jaw clenched.

  Her eyelashes batted furiously. She was on the verge of breaking down and fighting it with everything she had. Garrett frowned. “Do you have enough to get started, Jase?”

  He hesitated for only a heartbeat. “Yeah . . . sure, this will get me going. I’ll call if I need anything more. Thank you, beautiful lady.”

  A smile perked up the corners of her mouth. “Of course. Thank you. I appreciate your help.”

  “And so you shall have it, milady. Garrett, I’ll be in touch.” He was gone.

  “Sorry about him, Rach. He’s kind of crazy.” Actually, Garrett probably valued his friendship with Jase more the moment he put that smile on Rachel’s face than any other moment since they’d met.

  Rachel shifted sideways to face him. “He seems nice. Your brother seems nice, too.”

  “Luke is the best guy on the face of the planet. Easygoing, considerate—a truly good human being. Right up until someone pushes him too far or picks on somebody who can’t defend themselves. Then someone’s going to the hospital, and it won’t be Luke. He just completed the Navy SEAL training program.” Garrett was proud of his baby brother and aware that it probably came across in his voice.

  “So both of you went into the military. That’s a little odd, considering who your father is.”

  “No mystery in my case. I got myself in trouble when I was eighteen. Enlisting kept me out of jail,
kept my name out of the paper, and made my old man happy. Seemed like the right thing at the time.” He shrugged and grinned.

  “I bet you were a real handful, Garrett Harding.” Rachel laughed, but sobered quickly. “What was it like after your mother left?”

  “It was . . . hell.” How could he explain the emptiness to someone who hadn’t been there? The sense of betrayal? The ache in a little boy’s heart every night when he lay in his bed alone? “It ripped my world apart. Every day I prayed she’d come home. My father wouldn’t talk about her except to tell us she was a drug addict, and she wasn’t coming home. So I made up my own stories. Unfortunately, they all ended with a mother who had no use for her own kids.”

  “You don’t believe that anymore, do you? Amanda loved you and Luke. I saw it with my own eyes.” Her uncompromising belief amazed him.

  “Believe me, I’d like to see her the way you and Peg remember her, but I’ve got years of bitterness to trounce. I’m working on it. Just give me a little time. Okay?” They passed a green highway sign. “We’re six miles out of Lewiston. Are you hungry yet? I’m starving.”

  She smiled and shook her head. “I guess I could eat.”

  AN HOUR AND a half later, they’d enjoyed easy conversation over fried eggs, ham, and flapjacks, filled the Explorer with gas, and gotten back on Highway 95, headed north. Garrett pulled over at the first wide spot to let Cowboy exercise a bit and have some food and water. The cab had been warmed by the sun when they loaded up again, and it wasn’t ten minutes before Rachel was sound asleep.

  She was no doubt exhausted after sneaking away from the lodge in the middle of the night, not to mention spilling her guts about Jeremy, not once, but twice. That had to take an emotional toll. He’d felt her pain as she relived Chance’s murder, and yes, he was slightly jealous of a dead man. Go figure.

  She slept peacefully now. Garrett glanced at her every few seconds just to make sure she wasn’t caught in some nightmare. What was it about her that made him want to stay beside her and make sure she never had to be afraid again? Something stirred within his heart—something he’d stowed away one day when he was five. Child that he was, he hadn’t known the right words then, but he’d instinctively retreated within himself, put up barriers that no one but his brother Luke could breach, and vowed that he’d never let another person get close enough to matter.