Explosive Secrets (Texas K-9 Unit)

by Valerie Hansen

  “I’ll talk to Harold myself, tell him to cool it and give him the idea that it’s an unofficial assignment. He’ll love it. Once a cop, always a cop. You know that.”

  Jackson wasn’t convinced that the captain’s conclusions were right. He had one last hope. “What if she turns me down?”

  “She won’t. I’ve already warned off every restaurant and greasy spoon in and around Sagebrush,” Slade said flatly. “Ms. Johnson can’t leave this area because she’s a person of interest in her cousin’s murder case, and she won’t find a job in town. She’s out of options. She’ll agree to work for you.”

  “You’ve really thought of everything, haven’t you?”

  “That’s my job,” Slade drawled, obviously pleased with himself.

  Jackson was anything but happy. “There must be another way.”

  “Not as perfect as my plan. I think it would be best if you approached Ms. Johnson ASAP. No use taking the chance she might decide to apply for a different kind of position. The sooner she moves out to your ranch and starts cooking for you two starving bachelors, the better.”

  “And if I refuse to hire her?”

  “I can’t order you to comply, but you’re a good man and a smart cop. If you’re truly concerned about her being innocent and in somebody’s crosshairs, you’ll move her to where she’s a lot safer.” He paused and closed the file folder. “And if she’s as guilty as I think she is, we all need to do everything we can to prove it.”

  He reached for the phone on his desk and lifted the receiver, holding it while he added, “I’ll take care of briefing your uncle. You go hire yourself a cook.”

  Jackson was muttering to himself all the way to his patrol vehicle. He loaded and secured Titan, then slid behind the wheel. The captain’s idea had merit—he simply didn’t want to bring Nicolette into his personal life.

  And why is that? he asked himself. The honest answer was not only a surprise, it was an unwelcome one. He didn’t want to take the chance of getting closer to her. If he had to interact with her all the time, he’d have to really guard his heart because he already liked her far too much for his own good. Or for hers.

  FIVE

  Nicki had freshened up at the motel and then began using her cell to phone every place she could think of that might need a good cook. After her problematical parting with Lou, she suspected he must have been bad-mouthing her because all her polite inquiries about work were summarily dismissed.

  Discouraged, she was planning to make the rounds in person, first thing in the morning, when there was an unexpected knock at her door. Was it safe to answer?

  One look through the peephole showed she had nothing to be afraid of this time. The exterior walkway lights illuminated a familiar, most welcome figure.

  Grinning broadly, she jerked open the door and greeted the K-9 officer. “Hello! What a surprise.” She scanned the sidewalk. “Where’s your furry buddy?”

  “In the car. Can we talk?”

  “Sure. Come on in,” she replied.

  “You aren’t afraid of harming your reputation?”

  Nicki had to laugh. “Me? I’m pregnant and alone, just got fired...and my apartment was bombed right before I was evicted. How much worse can my reputation get?”

  “You have a point there.”

  He removed his cap and stepped through the door. The way he was worrying the brim of the hat telegraphed unusual apprehension, particularly since his demeanor was normally so calm and unruffled.

  “So, what brings you here, Detective Worth? Am I in trouble again for something I didn’t do? Because if that’s what you came to tell me, I’d just as soon skip it.”

  “Actually, no,” he said slowly.

  “Then what’s wrong? You look as if some lowlife just tried to kick your dog.”

  “You’re mistaken,” Jackson insisted with a smile that seemed forced to her. “Actually, I came to tell you I’ve arranged for your undamaged furniture to be stored, and found you a new job.”

  “Really?” Nicki was so elated, she almost forgot herself and hugged him the way Southerners commonly did when celebrating good news. “Where? Did the Sagebrush Diner reconsider?”

  “No. Nothing like that. This is a private residence that needs a cook. I figured, since you were so short of cash, you wouldn’t care where you worked.”

  “I guess I don’t. What’s the catch?”

  “No catch. You’ll have room and board plus a negotiable salary. You’ll be expected to serve three meals a day and keep the kitchen clean. Anything you need will be provided to you, within reason of course, and you’ll have your own private room with a bath.”

  “Go on. Who’s my boss? Some lecherous old guy who’ll chase me around the kitchen for fun?”

  “I hope not.” He blushed. “The only older man in the house will be my uncle Harold, and I’ll make sure he’s on his best behavior.”

  Nicki could feel the beginnings of a headache thrumming at her temples. “Hold on. You’re asking me to work for your uncle?”

  “And for me. Harold and I live together on the ranch I told you about. He’s been managing the place when I’m gone but he hates to cook and when he tries, it’s barely edible.” A smile quirked the corners of Jackson’s mouth. “Just don’t tell him I said so, okay?”

  “Slow down. I haven’t agreed to take the job. I don’t want charity.”

  The K-9 officer seemed to be warming to his subject because his smile widened more naturally. “Believe me, you’ll earn every penny. Harold is a nice guy but his sense of humor can be a bit much sometimes. Your only problem with him will be trying not to groan when he tells the same lame joke for the tenth time.”

  She met his eyes. “Where will you be all this time?”

  “At home, whenever I’m not on duty. I don’t have to stay in town as long as I can be paged and respond quickly. The ranch is only about a twenty-minute drive from the station.”

  “What about housekeeping? I’m a cook, not a window washer.”

  “No windows.” Jackson raised his hand as if taking an oath. “I promise. We have an older woman who comes in to clean once a week. Other than that, it’s just Harold and me and Titan. I was hoping that wouldn’t be a problem for you.”

  “I guess it isn’t,” Nicki said after a short pause. “When do I start?”

  “Um, well, I suppose you should spend at least one night here to give us a chance to get a room ready for you.”

  “Very sensible. One thing, though.”

  “Yes?” he asked.

  “I won’t stay at the ranch if I get an offer for a regular restaurant job here in town.”

  “Fair enough.” He squared his hat on his head and touched the brim politely. “Good night, Ms. Johnson.”

  “Under the circumstances, I think you should start calling me Nicki,” she said as she saw him to the door. “I prefer it.”

  “All right. I guess you can call me Jackson.”

  “If I’m working for you, I think it’s more proper that I use your job title or your last name,” she replied flatly.

  “You called Lou by his first name and he was your boss, too. I hope you don’t think working for me is going to demean you...Nicki. I’d never do that.”

  “Okay...you win. Jackson it is,” she said with a smile, wishing her cheeks didn’t feel so warm all of a sudden.

  Standing at the door and watching him climb into the SUV and drive off, she found herself trying to figure out what he was up to. It was nice of him to offer her a job. However, she wasn’t quite ready to view his motivation as totally altruistic.

  Still, it didn’t matter, did it? She’d be working steadily, and if something else came along, she could move back into town. It wasn’t as if she had a lot of furniture to put in storage, or anything else to tie her down. And the fresh air of a ranch environment would be good for the baby.

  She rested her hand lightly at her waist and said a silent prayer for her unborn child. She’d already seen a doctor and bee
n told that everything was fine, but that didn’t keep her from worrying. Or from remembering what had happened when she’d broken the news to Bobby Lee.

  They had been watching an end-of-season football game in her apartment, sharing the sofa that now lay in tatters. Nicki had snuggled up and rested her head on his muscular shoulder. “I have something wonderful to tell you, Bobby Lee.”

  “Not now, Nicki. The score’s tied and they’re going into overtime.”

  Feeling so safe, so filled with joy, she couldn’t wait a second longer and blurted, “We’re going to have a baby.”

  The game on TV forgotten, Bobby Lee slowly lifted his booted feet off the coffee table and sat up straighter. He was staring at her as if she had just spoken in a foreign language. His jaw hung slack.

  “Isn’t that great?” Nicki asked, confused because of his strange expression. “Before we know it, we’ll have the big family we talked about.”

  Instead of smiling and hugging her the way she’d anticipated, however, the tall Texan jumped up and began to yell.

  Nicki was flabbergasted. “What’s the matter, honey?”

  He continued to rant, pace and throw things until his face got so red she wondered if he was going to have a literal fit.

  Finally, he returned to lean over her. His volatile mood had caught her by surprise, but that was nothing compared to the intimidating look he flashed her way.

  “Thought you’d trap me, huh? Well, you can forget it,” he shouted. “I’m too young to settle down.”

  The feeling of dread that had enveloped Nicki at that time returned in the present. She remembered saying, “But, we love each other. You asked me to marry you.”

  She shivered, recalling the sarcastic laugh that had bubbled up from the man she’d expected to spend the rest of her life with.

  His sneer had been almost as bad. “Of course I said that, darlin’. It’s not my fault you bought the fairy tale, lock, stock and barrel. That’s why I like to date older women. They’re so desperate they’ll believe anything. Besides, how do I even know the kid’s mine?”

  Silent tears were bathing Nicki’s cheeks just as they had when Bobby Lee had revealed his true colors. How could she have been so blind, so naive? Thirty-four wasn’t that old, was it? Of course not.

  But she had been a terrible fool. She had yearned to believe that someone loved her the way Bobby Lee had sworn he did. That had been her downfall.

  Disgusted with herself, she dabbed her cheeks with a tissue. It was a good thing she’d found forgiveness in church and knew that God was merciful because she certainly needed His help starting over.

  It did occur to her that perhaps meeting the K-9 cop was a part of the Lord’s ultimate plan for her protection. If she hadn’t had to nearly get blown up to initiate their encounter, she might have been more likely to assume that divine intervention had been at work.

  Thoughtful, Nicki realized she needed to say a prayer of thanks for Jackson’s generous job offer. That, she could do. Meaning it from the bottom of her heart was another matter. It wasn’t easy to give thanks for a situation that hadn’t turned out anywhere near the way she had envisioned.

  Her ideas and her prayerful pleas to her heavenly Father had been specific. His answers, however, were far from what she’d expected.

  That realization brought a contrite smile. If she truly trusted God as she’d vowed she did, she would manage to thank Him no matter how things turned out.

  Nicki closed her eyes, folded her hands and began, “Father, thank You. I don’t understand what’s going on but I want to, so please help me. I’m doing the best I can. Honest, I am.”

  It wasn’t a polished prayer like the ones she had heard spoken in church, but it was sincere and straight from her heart.

  And, in spite of her misgivings about pretty much everything else these days, she knew God heard her and accepted her just as she was, flaws and all.

  That, alone, was enough to bring fresh tears to her eyes and a true spirit of thankfulness to her heart and soul.

  Pensive, she walked to the window of the small motel room and looked out, intending to direct her attention heavenward.

  The sun had set. Moonlight gave a surreal cast to the dimly lit parking lot, and made the distant hills seem to shimmer—hills she would soon visit when she reported to her new job.

  Nicki was actually looking forward to the peacefulness of nights spent on a ranch. There was something special about standing quietly in the twilight and listening to chirps and coos of nocturnal birds and insects. Perhaps there would even be a porch swing where she could sit and let go of her worldly cares more fully.

  Lost in thought, she blinked, then tensed. Was that a shadow moving near her parked car? Could someone have followed her? She hadn’t thought about hiding her whereabouts by vacating her ruined apartment in secret. Her only focus had been on salvaging her possessions, and getting another roof over her head.

  Nicki held very still and peered into the darkness. The harder she stared, the more the images seemed to flicker and waver.

  She switched off the bedside lamp to better hide her presence, then quickly returned to her vantage point. There was nothing out there. No bogeymen, no crooks, no stealthy adversaries of any kind.

  “It was my imagination,” she insisted, speaking aloud to help reassure herself. “I’m tired and stressed, that’s all. There’s nobody lurking. I’m perfectly safe.”

  Nevertheless, she double-checked the lock on her door and threw the dead bolt, as well. If they wanted to get to her, they were going to have to break down the door.

  “Which is exactly what the police did when Murke came after me,” she murmured, pocketing her cell phone. “And it only took them a few seconds to get in.”

  She glanced at the bed, then at the closet. If she took the quilted spread off the bed, folded it and used it as a mattress on the floor of the small closet, she’d be fairly comfortable. That way, if anyone snuck in, they wouldn’t find her easily. And, as long as she stayed fully dressed, she’d be ready to flee at a moment’s notice.

  “That idea is so foolish, you should be ashamed,” she countered, lecturing herself as if she were two separate people. “Either God is watching over you or He’s not. Which is it?”

  Heaving a sigh, Nicki whipped the comforter off the king-size bed and started to fold it. Since the Lord had given her a keen mind, she figured He expected her to use it. If nothing bad happened during the night, fine. If someone did come after her, they might think she’d moved already and leave right away rather than stay to search the room.

  As an afterthought, she stuffed two of the three pillows under the blankets on the bed as if she were actually lying there. Yes, it was silly. And, yes, it demonstrated doubt where she should have been showing trust.

  But it wasn’t all that far-fetched to think that she might not be totally secure, even here. If somebody intended to harm her, she was not going to make it easy for them.

  Tucking the pillowcases filled with her clothing under her head and reclining atop the folded quilt, she pulled one edge of it over her like a blanket, then pushed the sliding closet doors closed. Confined to the tiny area she felt much safer, as if she, like her baby, were enclosed in a cozy womb.

  Nicki closed her eyes and began to pray as her mind calmed. In the background, normal noises from other motel guests and passing street traffic faded as weariness finally overtook her.

  * * *

  Jackson figured it would be best to speak with his uncle in person before just showing up with Nicki, so he notified his captain of his plans, then headed northeast toward the ranch.

  It wasn’t a big spread but it was enough to satisfy his urge to be a part of rural Texas culture. He ran about twenty head of Herefords, give or take a few spring calves, and had enough grazing land that he only had to supplement their feed with baled hay during the winter or during an occasional, long, dry spell.

  The house was a simple, one-story rock building with a red
tile roof and white wood trim. The older barn was painted to match. Neither he nor his uncle saw a need for fancy landscaping, so the lawn area was basically rocks and desert flora with a smattering of wildflowers in the spring. Other than that, the place tended to look deserted unless there were vehicles parked in the yard.

  Tonight was no different. There was one lamp burning in the front room. A single bulb on the porch glowed as Jackson pulled around back.

  Harold threw open the door and wasted no breath on pleasantries. “What’s all this about a homeless woman coming to live with us? I thought you liked our arrangement. No muss, no fuss.”

  “I know, I know. It was the captain’s idea.” Jackson held up his hands, palms forward, in a gesture of surrender as he shouldered past his uncle with Titan at his side. “Don’t worry...it shouldn’t be for long. We need to keep an eye on her and this was the best place to do that.”

  “Who says?”

  “Like I just told you—it was Captain McNeal’s idea.”

  “You went along with it pretty easy. How come?”

  Jackson watched Titan head straight for his full food and water bowls. “I can see a need, that’s all. Besides, as McNeal reminded me, you hate to cook.”

  “I’d rather live on peanut butter and stale crackers than let a stranger mess with my grub. What makes you think this woman can do the job?”

  “Anybody can cook better than you and I do,” Jackson countered. “Didn’t the captain tell you? She used to be a short-order cook at the truck stop out on the highway.”

  “He never said a word about that,” Harold replied. “Just kept goin’ on about needin’ me to spy on her. What’d she do, anyway?”

  “Remember when Rio was dognapped and the captain’s father was assaulted, too?”

  “Of course. Your team got the guys who kidnapped that Billows kid who witnessed the whole thing, but the police dog is still missing. What’s that got to do with this woman we’re supposed to watch?”