Protector's Instinct

by Janie Crouch

  And he’d quit the force. She’d been unable to fathom that. When she’d gone to his house, ready to fight him about it—honestly looking forward to the screaming match and whatever would come after it—he’d refused to engage. At all.

  He’d offered iced tea and told her they should maybe talk later when they were both calm.

  She could fully admit that she hadn’t handled the situation well. That she’d told him she didn’t want to be around him like that. That she didn’t even recognize him. Didn’t want to recognize him. To stay away from her until he could figure out who they were.

  She didn’t think he’d take it to mean she didn’t want to ever be around him at all. But that had been the last time they’d been close to each other. Until a couple of days ago at the Silver Eagle.

  She’d been such a fool thinking he’d seen the light, first when he came to talk to her and then when he’d kissed her. Zane Wales wasn’t ever going to see the light when it came to her. So she wasn’t going to pine for him any longer.

  Instead, she was going to celebrate being out here by herself. Celebrate the development of another coping strategy. Celebrate being alive.

  Trumpold had been escalating, and based on what Sherry and Jon had told her, he’d definitely planned to move on to killing.

  Caroline knew, deep in her bones, she was lucky to be alive. That Trumpold hadn’t been able to decide whether to kill her or not.

  She was alive. She looked around at the stark landscape of the Big Bend. She loved it here. Loved the open, loved the vast skies, loved being alone in the late-afternoon sun.

  She turned, annoyed at the sound of a plane flying relatively low overhead. A small plane, probably a flyby for tourists. Caroline just went back to gathering what she needed to build a small fire tonight for coffee and to warm up some of the food she’d hiked in with her. She also needed to check in with the park rangers. She did that every eight to twelve hours out of courtesy for her colleagues back in Corpus Christi. They’d get the report too and not worry.

  She was tempted to tell them all to just bug off and leave her alone, but she couldn’t. These were people who loved her. She wished they wouldn’t smother her with that love, but she couldn’t fault them for it.

  The plane came back by again and Caroline rolled her eyes. Big Bend was beautiful, but there wasn’t enough to see for a double flyby. Then she realized the plane was landing not even half a mile from where she was camped.

  Caroline grabbed her radio. She believed strongly in her independence, but she believed more strongly in not being stupid.

  “Ranger station, this is Caroline Gill.” She gave them her GPS coordinates. “I’ve just heard a plane land about a half mile south of me. Small aircraft.”

  “Yeah, we received a call from a Captain Timothy Harris in Corpus Christi.”

  “Captain Harris, yeah, I know him. Is there some sort of emergency?” She couldn’t think of any reason Captain Harris would be on his way or have someone on their way if it wasn’t an emergency.

  “No, no emergency. He was clear about that. He was letting us know that a detective from his precinct was coming in via small aircraft. He said you wouldn’t mind. Or that you probably would, but you’d get over it.”

  Damn it, Captain Harris was sending a babysitter. She wondered if her parents had gotten word of this trip. She wouldn’t put it past them to browbeat Uncle Tim into sending someone to watch over her.

  Well, whoever it was, she was sending them right back home.

  She continued organizing her little camp, refusing to let anything get in the way of the peace she had found over the past two days. One of the things she’d worked very hard on with Dr. Parker was accepting what she had control over and what she didn’t. Certain circumstances she had no regulation over. But how she responded to them was up to her.

  She left her little camp and made her way the few hundred yards to the jagged edge of one of the cliffs Big Bend was known for with a stunning view of the Rio Grande river. She could feel her babysitter’s eyes on her as he or she got off the plane and walked toward her, but she didn’t pay any attention. Instead, she continued to stare out at the river as the sun began to dip in the sky.

  Finally, she knew she couldn’t avoid it any longer and turned back around.

  And found Zane standing about twenty yards behind her. She froze.

  “What are you doing here?” she stammered. Captain Harris had sent Zane to babysit her?

  And what’s more, Zane had actually agreed?

  “I didn’t mean to startle you. The ranger station was supposed to let you know I was coming.” He took a few steps toward her.

  “They did. I mean, they said Harris had called and told them someone was coming out here and to let me know. But I didn’t know it would be you. What are you doing here?” she couldn’t help but ask again.

  “Right now? Enjoying the beautiful view.”

  Caroline turned back out toward the river. “Yeah, amazing, isn’t it? The sun has set on the river this way for thousands and thousands of years. Makes you feel part of something much bigger than yourself.”

  Zane didn’t say anything, simply absorbed. They stood in silence watching the sun drop farther, casting a purple hue throughout the entire area. Caroline just took it in with him. She had to admit, there was no one else in the world she’d rather share this moment with than Zane. She closed her eyes and felt the warmth of the setting sun on her face.

  When she opened them again, she found him studying her.

  “What?”

  “Nothing. You look good. Peaceful, capable. Being here, at this place, obviously agrees with you. I was wrong to tell you not to come.”

  “You got that straight. I still don’t know why you’re here.”

  “I needed to make sure you were all right.”

  He stuffed his hands in his jeans pockets just like he always did when he wasn’t telling the full truth. She’d never told him she knew that tell because she’d never wanted to give up the upper hand.

  “You know I’ve been checking in with the rangers every few hours. You could’ve just asked them. I’m sure some of the CCPD have, including Captain Harris.”

  He shrugged. “I needed to see it with my own eyes.”

  He still wasn’t telling her everything, but she trusted him enough to know that if there was some true emergency he would’ve already hustled her off to the plane and gotten her out of here.

  A thought struck her. “My parents didn’t call you and make you come, did they?”

  He chuckled. “No. I just wanted to see you for myself.”

  Her eyes narrowed. “You flew a long way just to look at me, Wales. You might want to consider taking a picture. It would be a lot cheaper.”

  “A picture of you, here, in this light couldn’t possibly do this moment justice.”

  Damn it if the man didn’t still know how to make her insides go gooey.

  “Are you here to try to get me to leave?”

  Zane looked around, taking in the vastness surrounding them. “No. I don’t think there’s any place else you ought to be than here right now. Like I said, it obviously agrees with you.”

  She shook her head and began walking back toward her little camp. She still didn’t know exactly why Zane had come. He would tell her when he was ready. And honestly, as long as he wasn’t here to try to make her leave her hike early, she didn’t care. She didn’t mind having him around. She’d never minded having him around.

  “I can take care of myself, you know,” she said without turning back to him.

  “I’m beginning to see that more clearly,” she heard him mutter.

  Good. He should’ve seen it long before now.

  Chapter Six

  Zane didn’t want to tell her his true purpose for
coming.

  He could admit he had been so wrong when he’d told her she shouldn’t do this trip. He’d been arrogant and judgmental. She’d been right to get angry at him.

  God, she looked so beautiful out here. At ease. Strong. Capable. With a Glock G22 in a holster at her hip.

  Damn, if that wasn’t just the sexiest thing ever. Like she’d been transported through time from the Wild West. A rancher’s wife, ready to do whatever was needed to make her way securely through this wilderness.

  “You know how to use that Glock you’re carrying?”

  She didn’t even turn around. “Don’t try to piss me off on purpose, Wales. You know I wouldn’t be wearing it if I didn’t know how to use it. I told you I wasn’t coming out here unprepared.”

  Zane had no doubt what she said was the truth. If some sort of animal—four legged or otherwise—threatened her, she would be prepared to protect herself.

  Of course, she wasn’t exactly prepared for a terrorist, one of Omega Sector’s Ten Most Wanted, who might have set his sights on her. How did anyone prepare for that?

  She looked so relaxed and peaceful he didn’t want to tell her about Damien Freihof. Just because their names had come up on some psychopath’s wall of clues didn’t mean an attack was imminent. Zane would eventually have to tell her about the conversation with Jon Hatton, but not right now. Not when there obviously wasn’t any danger out here.

  Not when Caroline looked so peaceful.

  He hadn’t been lying when he’d said he just wanted to see her, to be with her. Hell, he’d wanted that for the last year and a half.

  They talked about the weather, and how her hike had been so far. But at her small camp area she finally turned to him. “Okay, you obviously don’t want to tell me the reason why you’re here. And I’m assuming if someone was hurt at home, or if I was needed, we wouldn’t be sitting around here chitchatting like a couple of old ladies.”

  Zane laughed out loud. Lord, how he’d missed her sharp tongue. “Nope, nothing like that.”

  “It’s not Jon and Sherry, is it? Nothing’s happened with the wedding?”

  He stiffened at the mention of Jon’s name, afraid she’d ask for more specifics about him. “No, the wedding crazy is still in full gear as far as I know.”

  “Good. Because I’m rocking the bridesmaid dress Sherry picked out. She let us each choose our own style as long as it was the teal color she wanted. I got a halter style.”

  He had no idea what halter style meant but was glad to see her so excited about it. “Wedding is still a go, so your dress is safe.”

  She studied him for a long while.

  “Well, it’s getting dark, Zane. Have you seen whatever you need to see—that I’m alive and not throwing myself off the cliff, I presume—and you’re leaving? Or are you going to stay?”

  “Can I stay?” He did his best not to think too much about the question and what it meant for either of them. Right now he just wanted to be with her.

  She shifted her weight onto one hip and stirred her fire with a stick. “It’s a big park, Zane. I don’t think I can stop you from camping here. Although I do think you’re supposed to have a permit.”

  “You know what I mean.”

  “Do you have your go-bag?”

  “Yep, plus a sleeping bag and MREs in the plane.”

  “Did you grab them for this trip or do you always have them in there?”

  He knew she was still trying to ascertain exactly why he was here. “They’re always in the plane. Although the go-bag is fresh.”

  “Meals Ready to Eat aren’t very tasty.”

  Zane shrugged. “Some of them aren’t too bad. And they’re better than going hungry.”

  She smiled. “That’s true. Maybe if you’re lucky, I’ll give you some of my food. Real stuff.”

  They hiked to his plane and got out his belongings. He showed her around the small prop plane.

  “Do you like it? I never knew that flying was more than just a hobby for you before you started your business.”

  They had gone up a few times together over the years. Zane’s grandfather had taught him how to fly in high school, and he’d gotten his pilot’s license not long after he’d gotten his driver’s license. Of course, Caroline’s parents had categorically refused to let their only daughter up in a plane with a teenage pilot while she was in high school.

  When she’d turned eighteen, she’d stopped asking their permission.

  “I remember how your dad lit into me after that one time for taking you up.” Zane got what he needed out and handed his sleeping bag to her. “You didn’t tell me that you hadn’t asked.”

  “I was eighteen, I didn’t need their consent.”

  “Yeah, well, evidently your dad didn’t know that.”

  That had been one of the last times Zane had flown with her, although not because of her father’s threats to kill him. They’d both gone away to separate colleges, dating other people, but never seriously. When they’d both come back to Corpus Christi, things had gotten much more serious between them.

  But that wasn’t what he wanted to be thinking about right now.

  “Anyway, my granddad left me the plane three years ago. And Jacob Scott was retiring from his air charter business, so I just took over. Worked out for everyone.”

  They started back toward the camp.

  “Yeah, I’m glad that worked out,” she murmured.

  Her tone was sad, but he didn’t push it. He didn’t want to fight with her. Didn’t want to do anything that would spoil this time and place with her.

  * * *

  DAWN THE NEXT morning broke just as gorgeous over the Rio Grande as sunset had left it the night before. And despite sleeping outside with no pillow, Zane woke feeling better than he had in a long time.

  Eighteen months, nine days to be exact. The day Caroline had been attacked.

  They’d spent the entire evening joking and fighting and arguing ridiculous points with one another about every topic from the Texas Rangers to the Rangers hockey team. Even when they were yelling the mood was easy between them. An underscore of happiness derived just from being with each other.

  She didn’t seem upset about how he’d treated her at the Silver Eagle. And, if it didn’t upset her, then he knew he just needed to let it go.

  He still hadn’t told her about Jon Hatton’s call. Honestly, there hadn’t been any need to. Zane didn’t want to ruin her trip for no reason.

  But neither was he going to leave her here alone.

  “So what’s your plan, Wales?” Caroline asked as they shared breakfast consisting of oatmeal and dried fruit and some coffee she’d made over the fire. “You flew a long way just to camp out under the stars. I’m pretty sure we have those back in Corpus Christi.”

  Zane would’ve flown twice as far, hell, more, to have gotten the hours he’d had with Caroline. Hours where his presence didn’t bother her. Where she was comfortable, confident.

  “How would you feel about me paring down my gear and coming with you for a couple of days?”

  Her eyes narrowed as if she was trying to figure him out. If she pushed now, he would have to tell her the truth about Damien Freihof. He’d have to tell her soon anyway.

  “You got water in your plane?”

  “Yeah. And a purifying bottle. It doesn’t work quickly, but it will get out anything that will make you sick.” It was standard equipment in his plane’s emergency kit as well as some protein bars and the MREs.

  Not to mention the Glock and extra ammunition he’d brought. The weapon was always nearby.

  Of course, as he’d noticed yesterday, Caroline wasn’t without her own weaponry.

  “Okay, we might have to hunt a little small game to supplement our food if you decide to hang out more than a co
uple days, but I’m good if you are. Let’s get camp packed up and ready to go.”

  And that was it. Just like old times, Caroline and her no-nonsense manner.

  She broke camp as he went back to the Cessna and reloaded his go-bag. He took a moment to check in with Jon Hatton while he was away from her.

  “Everything okay with Caroline?” Jon asked by way of greeting.

  “Yes, no problems. It looks like your Freihof guy either doesn’t know she’s out here or has decided not to make a play. But I’ll still be keeping my eyes peeled.”

  “Last time he used someone else to do a lot of his dirty work, Zane. So just be careful.”

  He finished his conversation with Jon, then hustled back to Caroline, who was ready to go.

  She turned to him, everything already packed up. “What were you doing back there, writing poetry? Let’s get a move on, Wales.”

  Her tone was annoyed, but he saw her smile as she turned away.

  “No, I was fixing my hair if you must know. Beauty like this doesn’t come without a price.” He heard her guffaw as they began their hike. The only trace of the camp was the small ring of ashes from their fire. In wilderness camping you carried all your supplies in and all your trash out.

  Big Bend advertised itself as “the other side of nowhere.” Over three hundred square miles of all sorts of terrain: rolling hills, cliffs and valleys, desert sections as well as green hills. A hiker’s dream if you wanted a variety of terrain and a chance to be alone. Especially now in November. No families camping or large groups led in on horseback.

  Caroline had obviously planned out where she would be going. She had a map she glanced at every so often, a compass she brought out more to make sure they were on track. She was prepared, gutsy and strong. Just like she’d always been except...

  The image of her rape, of seeing her lying unconscious on the floor, swamped him. Stole his ability to breathe, to do anything but flounder in remembered panic. In the knowledge of how scared and hurt she had to have been.