Out of Time

by Shirlee McCoy

  “Browbeating the help again, Zarvy?” A short thin man walked out onto the patio, his dark eyes flashing with humor.

  “You finally made it. I thought I might have to send out a posse.” Zarvy stood, shook the man’s hand. “Rodney Tanner, this is Texas Ranger Levi McDonall and Alamo Ranger Susannah Jorgenson.”

  “I’m sure I’ve seen you both at committee meetings. Good to meet you again.” Rodney grabbed a plate, scooped food onto it and sat at the table. “Did I miss anything?”

  “I was just explaining to Mr. Zarvy that we’re still investigating the incident that occurred at the Alamo last night.”

  “No leads?” Tanner seemed a lot more relaxed than his friend, and Susannah hoped that boded well for the rest of the meeting. She didn’t want to spend the remainder of the morning defending Alamo security.

  “Not enough to get a composite sketch of the perp. Hopefully, we’ll have more to go on in the next twenty-four hours.”

  “Twenty-four hours? Didn’t you hear what I said about—”

  “Cool it, Hank. They’re doing the best they can. Besides, we didn’t call this meeting to criticize the work that’s being done. We called it so that we could touch base, find out if there are any new developments. Your office was looking into those notes we received. Anything come of that?”

  “We’ve done forensic testing, but there was no DNA. Nothing we can really sink our teeth into as far as following a lead.” Levi finished eating and set his fork down. He seemed completely at ease, and Susannah envied that. She felt irritated, frustrated and ready to bolt.

  “Too bad. The good news is, we haven’t received any more threats. It seems like the person responsible has backed off.”

  “Is there some reason—” Susannah paused as her cell phone buzzed. She glanced at the caller ID, frowned.

  “It’s my supervisor. I need to take this. If you’ll excuse me.” She rose, walking several yards away as she answered.

  “Hello?”

  “Susannah? It’s Chad. We have a problem.” He sounded shaken, and that was so unlike Chad that Susannah’s pulse jumped.

  “What’s going on?”

  “Marcus found a box near the barracks when he was doing his rounds. It’s unmarked and sealed. I’ve called the San Antonio Police Department, and they’re sending the bomb squad to investigate. I need you and Levi back here as soon as possible.”

  “Bomb squad? Chad, are you sure—”

  “I don’t know, but we can’t afford to take chances.”

  “We’re at Hank Zarvy’s place. It will take us twenty minutes to get back to the Alamo.”

  “Make sure he doesn’t decide to come supervise the investigation. That man would micromanage a colony of ants, and that’s the last thing I need to deal with right now. See you in a few.” He disconnected, and Susannah turned, nearly walking into Levi. He cupped her biceps as she caught her balance, and she had the impression of harnessed power before he let her go and stepped back.

  “Is everything okay?”

  “Since you were eavesdropping, I’ll assume you already know the answer to that.”

  “I heard the word bomb. I’m hoping it wasn’t accurate.”

  “Marcus found a sealed package near the long barracks, and the bomb squad has been called in.”

  “We’d better get over there. Do you want to break the news to Zarvy or should I?” His palm rested on her lower back as he urged her toward the waiting men, and heat shot up her spine. Heat she had no business feeling. Not now. Probably not ever.

  “I’ll tell him.”

  He nodded, but his gaze drifted from her eyes to her lips, lingering there for a moment.

  And she knew he’d felt it, too. That zing of electricity when he’d touched her back, the heat that was growing between them. Not the comforting touch of two friends reconnecting, but something deeper, stronger.

  Her pulse jumped, her stomach flip-flopping as he raised his eyes, looked deep into hers. Levi the boy had been the fodder of many childish longings, but Levi the man wasn’t just crush-worthy. He was much more dangerous than that, and she turned, nearly running back to Zarvy and Tanner.

  “Looks like you’re in a hurry, Ms. Jorgenson. Is everything okay?” Rodney Tanner’s curious gaze pulled Susannah back to reality, back to her job.

  “I’m sorry to cut the meeting short, but we need to return to the Alamo.”

  “Why?” Zarvy frowned, and Susannah braced herself for what she knew was going to come.

  “Something was found on the grounds, and the police have been called in. They’re bringing the bomb squad with them.” There, she’d said it.

  “What? Do you know what’s going to happen when the bomb squad arrives there?” Zarvy shoved his plate away and stood.

  “They’re going to take a look at the box, and I’m hoping they’re going to say there’s nothing in it.”

  “Are you being flip with me, girl?” He spit the words out, his face nearly purple with rage. This was the man she’d seen at the Alamo. Demanding, unyielding and nearly out of control.

  “As I said before, Mr. Zarvy, I’m not a girl.”

  “No, you’re a little—”

  “Cool it, Zarvy.” Levi stepped between them, his muscles coiled, his voice tight.

  “Cool it? We’ve had two incidents on the compound in less than twenty-four hours. What kind of security team allows that?”

  “They don’t have time for your temper tantrum, Hank, and neither do I, so how about you bring it down a notch and let the Ranger speak?” For the first time since he’d arrived, Rodney looked irritated, and Zarvy glared at his friend, then exhaled slowly.

  “Right. I apologize. Seems like I’m doing that a lot this morning. Guess I’m on edge what with the celebration just around the corner. We’ve worked hard to organize the opening ceremony and all the events that will take place in the week following it. We’re expecting record crowds. That’s good for San Antonio’s economy, and what’s good for its economy is good for its people.” He sounded so sincere, so truly concerned that Susannah’s anger faded.

  “I understand, Mr. Zarvy, and I want you to know that the Alamo Rangers are dedicated to securing the Alamo compound during the opening ceremony. Whatever has happened, it won’t impact the success of that day.”

  “That’s where you’re wrong, Ms. Jorgenson. Once the press gets wind of things, it’ll be all over the news, and maybe not just the local news. If some national news program decides to run the story, people will start to worry about their safety. Hotel and restaurant reservations will be canceled. The community will suffer.” He shook his head, ran a hand down his jaw. “We’re going to have to take care of this. Rodney, you call the San Antonio Gazette. Explain what’s going on. See if George will agree not to run the story. I’ll call the news stations, see if we can get their cooperation. You two go do your job. Make sure nothing goes wrong on the day of the ceremony.” He issued the command and then walked into the house, disappearing down a hallway before any of them could respond.

  “Well, I guess we’ve got our orders. I’ll walk the two of you out.” Rodney escorted them out the front door, offering a quick goodbye as he got into a Cadillac parked at the end of the driveway. The engine revved, and he sped away, the sudden silence following his departure almost deafening.

  “That was fun,” Susannah said more to herself than to Levi.

  “A blast. Come on. We’d better get to the Alamo. I want to know what’s in the package and where, exactly, it was found.” He opened the car door.

  “Chad said the barracks.”

  “That’s close to the gate that was opened last night.”

  “Right.”

  “So, maybe our perp left it there.”

  “Then why not leave the rose?”

  “Could be he planned to put that on your desk, realized the Alamo wasn’t empty and ran. Or it could be that he didn’t plant the box at all. Maybe it’s a souvenir that someone left by mistake.”


  “It could be just about anything. Until we get there, we won’t know.”

  “Let’s hope a massive explosion doesn’t clue us in before we arrive.” Levi sped through downtown San Antonio and onto Alamo Street. A police barricade had been set up, and an officer checked IDs then waved them through.

  “Looks like the bomb squad is already here.” Levi pulled up behind the marked van, and Susannah hopped out of the car, hurrying over to a small group of Alamo Rangers standing across the street from the plaza. She didn’t look to see if Levi was following. His presence was like a physical touch, pulling her toward him, making her want to turn around and meet his eyes.

  “About time you showed up, Jorgenson. We finally get a little excitement and you’re MIA.” Shelley Rad cliff grinned, her bright red hair peeking out from beneath her Stetson. Young and eager, she’d started working as an Alamo Ranger two years ago, but her real dream, she’d told Susannah, was to be a police officer.

  “I’m not sure this kind of excitement is what we want around here. Where’s Chad?”

  “In with the bomb squad. The dogs already sniffed around in there. Looks like there aren’t any explosives.”

  “Don’t sound so disappointed, Radcliff. If there’d been explosives in the box, we might have all been blown to bits hours ago.” Marcus stood a few feet away, watching a group of police officers move toward the Alamo.

  “I heard you found the box.” Levi stood beside Susannah, his hands in his pockets, his gaze resting on Marcus.

  “Yeah. I was over at the barracks getting ready to open things up for the day. The box was in front of the door.”

  “Strange. I checked that area last night, and I didn’t see it. I even checked the door to make sure it was locked. I need to go talk to Chad.” Levi frowned and started walking toward the chapel.

  “I’ll go with you.”

  “No.” Levi’s sharp command nearly stopped her. Nearly.

  “Sorry. It doesn’t work that way.” She fell into step beside him, ignoring his hard stare.

  “What doesn’t work which way?”

  “Our partnership doesn’t involve you issuing orders and me obeying them.”

  “This isn’t a game, Susie. If there’s a bomb on the Alamo compound, it could explode.”

  “There isn’t. You heard Shelley. The dogs didn’t find any explosives.”

  “I want you to wait here. When this is over, I’m going to take you home, and you’re going to stay there until the opening ceremony is over.”

  She laughed at that. Really laughed.

  “What’s so funny?” He turned to face her, his eyes chocolate-brown and compelling. She could read his frustration there, read his concern, and she could see the boy he’d once been, the teenager he’d grown into. The man he’d become.

  A handsome, compelling, heroic man.

  And it would be so easy to depend on him if she let herself.

  “I can’t believe you’d really think that I’d go home and hide from whatever is going on here. I may spend half my time jumping at shadows, but I have a job to do, and I plan to do it.”

  “Even if that means putting yourself in the path of danger?”

  “Isn’t that what you do every day of your life?”

  “That’s different.”

  “No. It’s the same. We’re both professionals with jobs to do. Jobs that involve risks.”

  “I don’t want you hurt, Susannah. That’s the problem,” he muttered, and then started walking again, leaving her with a choice. Follow him or stay?

  It wasn’t a difficult one to make.

  No matter how hard her heart was pounding, no matter how afraid she was, no matter what, she had to be part of the investigation.

  EIGHT

  Susannah never gave up.

  Levi had forgotten that. Forgotten how doggedly determined she was when she made a decision about something. He wanted to turn around and insist that she wait with the other Alamo Rangers, but she was head of the security team, and she had the right, even the responsibility, to be on-site with the other investigators. If she’d been anyone else, he would have been impressed by her determination.

  But she wasn’t.

  She was little Susannah Jorgenson, the girl who’d stared out her window while he and his parents moved into their San Antonio home. She’d been five to his ten, with wild red curls and wide green eyes. When he’d waved, she’d smiled, and he was hooked, his ten-year-old heart smitten.

  Maybe he still was, because the thought of her in danger made him want to scoop her up and carry her away.

  “Susannah!” Chad called out as they approached the long barracks and a group of uniformed police officers gathered there. “I’m glad you’re here. Take a look at this.”

  “What is it?”

  “I’m hoping you can tell me.” Chad said something to one of the officers, and he carried the box to them, his hands gloved.

  “It’s smaller than I imagined,” Susannah murmured as she eyed the box.

  It was small, maybe the size of a child’s shoebox, and wrapped in brown paper that had been peeled back.

  “The dogs indicated there were no explosives, and we scanned it for suspicious contents. There were none, but I can’t say that this isn’t a little strange.” The man who held the box frowned, tilting it so that hundreds of rose petals were visible.

  Susannah stepped back, her face leached of color. “Rose petals? That’s it?”

  “No. We also found this.” The officer held up a photo that looked like it had been shot with an old-fashioned Polaroid. In the foreground, a bouquet of bloodred roses lay on lush grass. Just behind it a gravestone rose up, gray and plain, the carved letters clearly visible. At the bottom, written in bold black letters were the words—Your Fault.

  “Aaron’s grave.”

  “He was killed last summer, right?” the officer asked, and Susannah nodded.

  “I’m afraid so.”

  “I remember the story. Not a good time in your life.”

  “It wasn’t.”

  “But someone seems to want you to relive it. Is there anyone who might have a grudge against you? Someone who might blame you for Aaron’s death?”

  “No.” She fisted her hands, relaxed them, fisted them again, the motion carving deep purple crescents into her palm.

  Levi wanted to smooth his hand over the marks, run his thumb over her knuckles. Wanted to tell her that she didn’t have to do what she was doing. Didn’t have to look at the rose petals, the photo, the memories that must be screaming through her mind.

  But he knew she did.

  She needed to face her past as surely as he had to face his guilt. Come to terms with it. Begin to move on.

  “Are you sure?” the officer pressed, and Susannah nodded.

  “As sure as I can be.”

  “We’ll do forensic testing on the box. See if we can gather any kind of evidence. In the meantime, if you think of anyone who might have done this, give me a call.” The officer handed Susannah a business card, then carried the box away.

  “This isn’t good. We have one of the most prestigious groups of politicians we’ve ever hosted coming to the Alamo in a few days. We can’t afford to have this kind of stuff going on.” Chad raked a hand through his hair and scowled.

  “I’m going to call my captain. See if he can send a man to look at the surveillance tape. Maybe we missed something.” Levi took a few steps away and dialed Ben’s number, his gaze on Susannah. She and Chad had their heads bent together and were talking quietly. She looked confident and at ease, but there was tension in her shoulders and fear in the depth of her eyes.

  Rose petals in a box.

  A photo of a grave.

  The hint of a threat in two words—Your Fault.

  It should have been an easy call. The roses had been left by someone who knew Aaron and blamed Susannah for his death. But Levi didn’t think it was as simple as that.

  Someone was trying to scare Susannah away from t
he Alamo, and he was sure that it had something to do with the Lions of Texas and their plans for the opening ceremony.

  “Fritz speaking.”

  “It’s Levi. There’s more trouble at the Alamo.”

  “So Zarvy said.”

  “He doesn’t waste time, does he?”

  “Neither can we. Anderson is on his way to your location. We need to get this situation under control.”

  “Do me a favor and send him over to San Antonio P.D., instead. They have surveillance footage from last night. I’m hoping we can get a copy of the tape, have it run through our system. We need to identify the perpetrator if we’re going to have any hope of stopping whatever The Lions are planning.”

  “Sounds good. You sure you don’t need backup at the site?”

  “Not yet.” Levi explained the box and the rose petals and photo, mentioned Susannah and the trauma she’d been through.

  She must have heard her name. She looked up, frowning.

  “I remember hearing about that. The woman has been through a lot. It may be best to have her pulled from the Alamo until we get through the ceremony.”

  “I suggested she step down from her position as lead security officer.”

  “And?”

  “She refused.”

  “Maybe the decision shouldn’t be hers.”

  “I’m not going to make it mine.”

  “Your choice, but don’t lose sight of your priorities. The Lions have already murdered Captain Pike and Axle Hudson. They’re not going to hesitate to kill again.”

  “I couldn’t forget that if I tried.”

  “Good. Report in if anything changes.”

  “Right.” He slid the phone in his pocket as Susannah approached.

  “Bad news?”

  “No news.”

  “Which is just as bad.”

  “Right.” He took off his hat, ran his hand over his hair, knowing what he had to say and what he wanted to say. “My captain wants you to step down from your position as lead security officer.”