by Rita Herron
“No, did you?”
The keys rattled as she held out her hand to him. “I’m not sure. There might have been someone on horseback at the top of the hill. But it could have been one of the ranch hands.”
Or it could have been Jones hanging around to see her reaction when she received his little gift.
Bastard.
He deserved to die.
MIA COULD HAVE SWORN SHE’D SEEN GEOFF ON THE HILL.
Then again, now that she knew he was near, she’d probably be seeing him in every shadow and corner.
Was he still on the ranch?
“Call Henry and tell him that Jones has been here. As soon as I check the inside of the house we’re going to ride the property.”
Mia nodded, dug out her cell phone and punched Henry’s number while Alex let himself inside the cabin. From her vantage point on the porch, everything appeared to be as she’d left it. The lights were off. Furniture in place.
The phone rang once, twice, a third time, then Henry answered. Mia quickly explained that Geoff had been on the ranch.
“I’ll alert my foreman immediately,” Henry said. “I called a meeting of the hands at the chow hall, but I didn’t tell them why I wanted to talk to them. Thought if someone was working for your ex, it might tip our hand.”
“Good thinking,” Mia said, surprised at Henry’s forethought. “We’ll see you soon. Alex and I are going to take a ride before we meet you. I want to exercise the horses.” And she and Alex could look for traces of Geoff.
“Listen, Mia, don’t worry about your job until this maniac is caught,” Henry said. “Your safety is more important than anything.”
Touched by his concern, she blinked back tears and thanked him. But she took her job seriously and cared about the animals, and she wouldn’t allow Geoff to prevent her from doing that job.
A second later Alex returned. “The cabin is clean. But you may want to see if anything is missing.”
“All right.” Not that Geoff would have reason to steal anything of hers. But she’d feel better if she checked.
Her stomach fluttered with nerves as she entered. She quickly scanned the living room and adjacent kitchen but saw nothing amiss. Next she glanced inside the bathroom. Nothing out of place.
Well, technically things were since she’d rebelled against Geoff’s obsessive-compulsive tendencies to have everything perfectly in order and kept a basket on the counter with her cosmetics piled in it. He had insisted they be arranged in order of height on the shelf he’d built strictly for that purpose.
The bedroom looked just as she’d left it as well. Her clothes hanging in the closet. A pair of work boots tossed in the corner. Her denim jacket draped over the chair.
But when she opened her dresser drawer, her lungs constricted. All the sensible underwear that she’d bought was gone.
In its place were delicate lacy bras and thongs, ones like Geoff had bought her.
Ones he’d obviously chosen for her just as he’d insisted on doing so when they were married.
She’d thought it was a romantic gesture at first. Titillating even.
Until it had become suffocating.
When she’d refused to wear the black satin undies he’d given her one night, he’d become enraged and beaten her senseless. That was the first time.
But it hadn’t been the last.
Fury raged through her, and she grabbed the trashcan, snatched the lacy garments and hurled them into the garbage.
Alex caught her arm and gently rubbed his thumb along her wrist. “What’s wrong, Mia?”
“He was here,” she cried. “He bought all of this. None of it is mine.”
It was a statement from Geoff. She understood perfectly.
He wanted her to know that he’d found her. And that eventually he would wear her down.
“SON OF A BITCH.” ALEX HOOKED HIS THUMB TOWARD THE door. “I need to check the property now in case he’s still lurking around.”
She dumped the last of the underwear, fighting an hysterical cry as she faced him. “I’ll get the horses ready.”
Not without him, she wouldn’t. “Then let’s go.”
“I thought you wanted to run those background checks first.”
“Now Jones has found you, I’m not going to let you out of my sight for a minute.”
A deep wariness darkened her eyes, but she didn’t argue. “Okay, let’s go look for him.”
He followed her outside, his senses alert as he scanned the area. It would be just like the bastard to stay close and watch Mia.
As they descended the porch, he scanned the area for evidence as to how Jones had reached the cabin. “No tire prints,” he said. “The son of a bitch must have parked off the road and hiked in.” He glanced at Mia. “Does he ride?”
She shook her head. “No, he doesn’t like animals. Too dirty.”
“He could have borrowed or stolen one of the ranch hand’s horses. Do they keep them in the barn near you?”
“No,” Mia said. “There’s another stable near the bunk houses for the workers. The ones I exercise are being groomed to sell.”
They crossed the pasture and entered the stable together, and she headed into the tack room for saddles.
He saddled one horse while she saddled the other, and in minutes, they were prepared to ride. Alex snapped his reins and led the way across the pasture toward the hill where she thought she’d seen someone earlier. As they rode, he searched the ground for hoof prints. Boot prints. Any sign of Jones.
When they made it to the top of the hill, he paused, dismounted and studied the ground. A partial boot print marred the dirt, the horses hoof prints muddying the soil. “Someone was here,” he said.
Mia’s face looked pained. “There’s a petal from one of the lilies,” she said in a haunted tone.
Suddenly a shot rang out, the horses bucked and whinnied and Alex shouted for Mia to get down.
CHAPTER SIX
MIA DOVE FROM THE HORSE, THEN HIT THE GROUND ON HER hands and knees. Who the hell was shooting at them?
A gun wasn’t Geoff’s style.
But he was desperate and would do anything to get back at her for destroying his life.
And exposing him for the monster he was.
“Stay low,” Alex murmured as he covered her head with his body.
She nodded, her breath rasping out.
Alex pulled his gun, lifted his head from their perch on the ground, scanning the area where the shot had come from. To the right, not far from them. Near the woods.
He pointed toward a cluster of rocks a few feet away. “Take cover there. I’m going after the son of a bitch.”
She caught his arm. “Be careful, Alex.”
He squeezed her hand in reassurance, then led her to the rocks. The two of them stayed low, Alex covering them by firing a round at the woods.
When she’d crouched behind the boulder, he shocked her by dropping a kiss into her hair. “As soon as I’m gone, ride back to the McCauley’s. If I’m not back in half an hour, call the local sheriff. I’ve already talked to him. He knows what’s going on. He’ll get in touch with my chief.”
Fear nearly choked her. “Alex —”
“Just do it,” he said. Then he was gone. Diving on his horse and racing in the direction of the shooter.
She held her breath, anxiety warring with guilt. Alex had been the only one to protect her, to listen to her cries at night during those first few weeks after the arrest.
The only person she’d connected with.
And that had terrified her.
So when the trial had ended and Geoff was locked away, she’d cut all ties to the handsome Ranger for her own sake.
Ironic that now he might die to protect her from the one man who claimed he loved her.
At one time she’d been thrilled to have that love. A happily-ever-after in a dreamland that he’d created for her.
Now she didn’t believe that happily-ever-after existed. At least not for her.
The loss of her unborn child was proof of that.
Her fingernails dug into the rocks. Why was God punishing her? What had she done so wrong? Been blinded by Geoff’s charm and power?
She hadn’t thought she was that shallow, but maybe she had been.
Not anymore.
Survival was the only thing that mattered.
Love was for others. People without a past.
Dust rose in a thick cloud behind the horse as Alex disappeared over the hill. She froze in silent prayer, listening for sounds of more gunshots. One. Two.
Had someone been shot?
Terrified, she jumped on her horse, snapped the reins and steered the animal back toward the McCauley’s farmhouse.
She just prayed that Alex caught Geoff and didn’t lose his life over her.
She couldn’t live with herself if he did.
ALEX KICKED THE HORSE’S SIDES, URGING HIM TO GO FASTER AS HE fired at the shadow in the woods. But the figure moved too quickly, and he missed the shot. The sound of racing hoofs across the terrain splintered the air, his determination to catch the shooter warring with common sense.
He shouldn’t have left Mia alone. If this was a trap and the shooter was a distraction, he’d left her vulnerable for Jones’s attack.
Dammit.
Another shot zinged by his head, and he ducked, guiding the horse to the right to cut through the woods. But the thicket of trees slowed him down, and the shooter disappeared in the distance.
A noise on the opposite side caught his attention, and he spotted another figure running toward the road that bordered the ranch.
Seconds later, the sound of a motor firing up rent the air, tires squealing on pavement. Reality hit him.
There were two of them.
The road provided easy access for Jones or a hired shooter to slip onto the land while another shooter had been in the woods on horseback.
He steered the bay to the left in search of the vehicle, but by the time he reached the edge of the road, it was gone. Pivoting, he steered the horse toward the man on horseback, weaving between the trees until he reached the clearing. The horse had disappeared as well.
Dammit.
Frustrated but resigned the shooter had escaped, he turned and headed back toward Mia.
Relief filled him as he spotted hoof prints heading toward the farmhouse. Hopefully Mia had made it back safely.
He kicked the bay’s sides, sending the animal galloping across the property. His pulse slowed as he approached, his breath finally steadying when he saw Mia’s horse tied to the hitching post.
He secured his ride, then climbed the porch steps, angry the shooter had escaped and desperate to see Mia.
He didn’t like that feeling of desperation.
But he couldn’t help himself. Another few inches, and the shooter could have killed her.
Except now that he thought about it, the bullet had come closer to him than her.
Shit. The shooter was firing at him. Hoping to get him out of the way so he could have Mia to himself.
That wasn’t going to happen.
At least not as long as he was alive.
MIA’S HEART WAS HAMMERING SO HARD SHE THOUGHT IT WOULD explode. Dear God, if anything happened to Alex, she’d never forgive herself.
“Honey, I’m sure he’ll be all right,” Joy said as she handed Mia a cup of tea. Mia sank into the wooden chair at the kitchen table, her legs giving way. The woman had been doting on her like a mother hen ever since Mia had run in the door frantic.
“I can’t believe this is happening,” Mia said, her throat strained from holding back tears. “Geoff has been here. I have to leave.”
“You’re not leaving,” Joy said. “We’ll hire extra security to cover the ranch. And Henry’s already called about installing a security system.”
The teacup rattled in the saucer as she set it on the table. The McCauleys didn’t have the money for extra security any more than they had it for a security system. They needed every penny to keep the ranch afloat.
Maybe she should have killed Geoff instead of trying to run from him. At least then he couldn’t hurt anyone else.
She wrung her hands together, then froze at the sound of a loud knock on the door. Joy twisted her hand in her apron and glanced toward the hallway leading to the foyer.
“This man after you, he wouldn’t knock,” Joy pointed out.
Mia released a shaky breath. Joy was right. She rose and hurried to the door, relief flooding her when she spotted Alex standing on the other side. His dark eyes looked intense, his jaw hard, his big body so handsome and virile that her heart fluttered with longing.
Alex had offered her support during the worst time of her life, and he was here for her now.
She swung the door open and threw her arms around him. “Thank God you’re all right.”
He drew her into a hug, burying his head into her hair. “Thank God you are.”
A nervous laugh bubbled in her throat. “I was terrified when you rode off,” she whispered.
He framed her face with his hands and looked into her eyes. “I’m fine but he got away.”
“Was it Geoff?”
“I didn’t get a look at his face,” Alex said. “In fact, there were two of them. One on horseback, the other escaped in a car.”
Behind her, Mia heard Joy’s soft sigh. She pulled away from Alex, knowing how it must look to her friend.
“What happened?” Joy asked. “Did you catch him?”
“I’m afraid not.”
A worried look pulled at Joy’s brows. The phone jangled and Joy startled, then rushed to get it. “Yes?” A pause. “Oh, dear Lord.”
Her hand trembled as she reached for the bannister by the table holding the phone. “Yes, the Texas Ranger is here. I’ll tell him.”
Mia’s pulse clamored as Joy hung up the phone. When Joy looked up at them, tears clouded her eyes.
Mia released Alex and rushed toward Joy. “What’s wrong?”
Joy’s lower lip quivered. “It’s Joleen…Henry found her.”
Alex cleared his throat. “What do you mean, found her?”
A sob escaped Joy, and she wrapped her arms around her middle. Mia helped her to the bench against the wall. “She’s dead,” Joy cried. “Joleen…she was murdered.”
Panic and guilt slammed into Mia. Had the cook been killed because of her?
“CALL THE SHERIFF,” ALEX SAID. “I’LL RIDE OVER AND MEET HIM AT the scene.”
Mia’s face turned a pasty white. “How did she die, Joy?”
Guilt darkened Mia’s expression, making Alex angry all over again. But this case was too important for him to let his emotions rule his actions. And time was of the essence.
“Henry said she was shot at the chow hall,” Joy said in a broken voice.
“Oh, my God,” Mia whispered. She turned to Alex, panic streaking her face. “You think the same man who shot at us killed Joleen?”
“I don’t know.” He checked his weapon. “We’ll need the ME to establish time of death. And we’ll compare bullet casings to the one that killed Joleen.”
“This is all my fault,” Mia cried. “I never should have come here.”
“Don’t do that to yourself, Mia,” Alex said sharply. “We don’t know that this has anything to do with you.”
“Of course it does,” she shrieked. “There was never any trouble at the Crossties before I started working here.”
Alex’s gaze shot to Joy’s. He wanted to alleviate Mia’s guilt, but he didn’t know how. “Have you had trouble before?”
She shrugged, wiping at her eyes with her apron. “We had some fences broken. Cattle that got loose. But …nothing like this.”
Alex’s jaw locked. “Stay here with Joy, Mia.” He glanced at Joy. “Do you have a weapon, Mrs. McCauley?”
She nodded, her hands knotted in her apron. “Henry’s rifle.”
“Do you know how to shoot?”
“No, I hate guns.” Joy g
lanced up at him, fear pinching her face. “You think the killer will come here?”
Alex frowned. “I think he escaped in that vehicle I heard on the road. But we can’t be too careful.” He touched Mia’s arms. “Can you shoot a rifle?”
“Yes,” she said, her voice stronger now. “If anyone comes after Joy, I won’t hesitate.”
He hugged her to him. “Protect yourself, too, Mia. Remember that. Geoff is a sick bastard, and nothing he does or has done is your fault.”
Her gaze met his, an agonized look that made him hate her ex all over again.
The son of a bitch deserved to die for what he’d put Mia through. And if he tried to hurt her again, Alex would kill him and not think twice.
GEOFF DROVE TO THE DUMP NEAREST THE RANCH, THEN TOOK THE scissors he’d picked up at Mia’s and began slicing her underwear. Ugly plain cotton panties and bras that she should never have purchased.
What was wrong with her?
She’d traded all her nice designer dresses and shoes for rugged jeans and western shirts and boots. Clothes befitting a common worker, not his wife.
Had she already forgotten all he’d taught her about how to dress to appeal to him? About the satin and lace that he liked?
About the skin that he wanted exposed so he could look at her, touch her, taste her?
He would have her soon. And this time it would last forever.
CHAPTER SEVEN
ALEX JUMPED BACK IN THE SADDLE AND SENT THE BAY INTO A SPRINT toward the dining hall. When he arrived, he noted several other horses tied outside along with Henry McCauley’s black pick-up and a Wrangler jeep.
He dismounted, then strode inside, wiping sweat from his brow. Henry met him at the door to the dining hall, his face ashen. “I can’t believe this happened,” he said in a broken voice. “Joleen was a good woman. She never hurt a soul.”
Alex gritted his teeth. He didn’t want the woman’s death on Mia’s shoulders. Not that he blamed Mia, but he understood the irrational guilt that could eat at a person, and was afraid she’d blame herself.
