“All right, honey, but we wish you’d come home.”
“Dad, we’ve already been through this. I don’t want to bring any trouble with me. We’ll be fine. And after Steve has settled everything, I’ll come home.” She hugged her mother and father and Mike, too. Then she watched them go down the stairs.
She was finally alone with Steve again.
Only he was asleep and she wished she was.
Determined to stay awake to talk to Tori, she went into the kitchen and searched for something to eat. Mike had brought some food from his kitchen until the stores opened.
She made herself a cup of hot chocolate and stared out the window at the street below. People rose early in Rawhide, which was quite different from Hollywood.
She wished Murphy was here. Jon had promised to bring him when he came back to the hospital later that day. That would give him an opportunity to check on Steve then, too.
A groan behind her reminded her of Steve’s presence. She hurried to his side, feeling his forehead. He was still running a fever. But the antibiotics would take care of that. Maybe it was time for a pain pill.
While getting the pills, she also got a glass of wa ter for him. Then she returned to his bedside. She sat down on the edge of the mattress. “Steve, are you awake?”
He groaned again.
“I have a pain pill here to stop it from hurting. Open your mouth.”
He had to have understood because he did as she asked. She raised him so he could drink some water, then settled him back on the pillow. He shivered, and she pulled the blankets closer over his shoulders.
She returned to the window that looked down on the main street of Rawhide. Snow was once again drifting down slowly, adding another layer to the rooftops, streets and the few parked cars.
She’d lived in Rawhide, or near it, almost all her life. From the three years she’d been gone she could see some changes—the café had a new sign; there was a new shop across the street—but basically Rawhide had remained the same. Just the way she liked it. She found a sense of comfort in that sameness.
It was good to be home.
She had to have dozed in a chair by the window, because the ringing telephone woke her at a quarter to seven.
It was Tori. “Jess, are you sure you want me to take this envelope to Mike?”
She explained that Mike might be willing to de lay his report, as long as the evidence in the envelope backed up Steve’s story. She asked her sister to rush it over to the sheriff’s office.
“Will do,” Tori replied. “Have you gotten any rest?”
“I’m going to sleep now.” The question was where. Surely not on the uncomfortable-looking sofa, not when there was that huge bed that Steve was sleeping in in the other room. She could sleep there and never even touch him.
After Tori promised to bring her some lunch from the café later, Jessica hung up and went to crawl into bed, careful to keep her distance from the patient.
Her last thought was that his body was as good as a furnace.
B.J. RANDALL ANSWERED the phone in the ranch kitchen around ten o’clock. “Hello?”
“Is Jessica Randall there?”
“No, she’s not. May I take a message?”
“Well, is this the right place? I mean, this is the number I got from Information. Do you know Jessica?”
“Yes, I do. Who’s calling?”
“This is Monica Miller. I’m a friend of Jessica’s from L.A.”
“I’m her aunt. I can get a message to her if you want.”
“Okay. This may be nothing, but a man called this morning and—and asked for her address in Dallas.” The woman paused. “I know she’s from Wyoming. I said she didn’t live in Dallas, she lives in Wyoming.”
“Who was the caller?”
“I don’t know. I was so taken by surprise I didn’t think to ask. And he wanted to know where in Wyoming, so I told him all I knew was Rawhide. I hope I didn’t cause her any problems. Can you tell her that?”
“Of course I can. And we appreciate your letting us know.”
After she’d hung up the phone, B.J. dialed the sheriff’s office. “Is Mike in yet?”
“Yes, ma’am. May I tell him who’s calling?”
“Yes, it’s his mother-in-law.”
“Just a minute please.”
“B.J., what’s up?” Mike asked when he picked up the phone.
“I’m not sure, but I don’t have a good feeling.” She told Mike about the call. “I thought I should let you know.”
“Yeah, I’m glad you did. It confirms what I suspected.”
“Does it mean that Jessica is in danger?”
“Possibly. But we’re going to keep an eye on her. And we’ll spread the word to keep her location secret. I’m going to make some calls, too.”
“We’re counting on you, Mike.”
“I know, B.J. Jess is family.”
THE BANGING ON THE DOOR woke Jessica. She crawled out of the bed and went to unlock the front door after checking to be sure it was her sister.
She was delighted to see that Tori’s arms were filled with sacks from the café. “I hope you bought lots of good stuff. I’m starved.”
“I did. I even brought some food for you know who. How’s he doing?”
“Still sleeping. I changed the drip once.”
“Well, maybe we can wake him up after you eat. Oh, and Mike may come up. He said he needed to talk to you.”
“Why? Did he read the evidence?”
“I don’t know, Jess. He just wanted to know when you’d be awake.”
A knock on the door interrupted them. Jessica hurried over and opened the door.
“Did you look before you opened the door?” Mike asked sternly.
“No, but Tori— I thought no one knew where we were?”
“Always check. There’ve been some developments. Do we still not know Steve’s last name?”
“He said he had a driver’s license. I haven’t looked, but it should be in his pants pocket,” she said, waving toward a pile on the end of the sofa. Mike moved to it.
“Go ahead and eat. I know you must be hungry.”
She and Tori sat down at the small table. Tori took out the enchiladas and a tossed salad.
“It’s enchilada day!” Jessica exclaimed. “I didn’t realize that!”
“Some things never change, Jess. I also brought some dessert for you.”
“Oh, good.”
Mike brought over Steve’s driver’s license. “This gives his name as Stephen Carter. I’m going to call a friend who used to be DEA. Maybe he’ll know the name.”
“But it could be an undercover identity,” Jessica said, worried.
“I know, but I still need to check. By the way, a friend of yours from Hollywood called. Someone called asking for your home address in Dallas.”
Jessica froze. Then she said, “That had to have come from the cop who pulled me over before I left L.A. I told him I was heading home to Dallas, hoping to throw anyone off track.”
“Yeah, I remember. You told me that story this morning. I have to admit I thought you were exaggerating but…” He let the thought go unsaid. “Your friend told them it was Wyoming, not Texas. They asked where in Wyoming and she told them Rawhide.”
Jessica felt an instant tightness in her chest. “So they’ll be here?”
“Maybe. But we’re going to be watching out for you. Just don’t open the door unless you know who it is.”
“I won’t, I promise.”
“Has he awakened yet?”
“No, Tori and I are going to wake him in a few minutes and try to get him to eat.”
“All right. Tell him I haven’t reported his wound yet, and I’ve got his evidence in the safe downstairs. Seems he was right.”
“Thank you, Mike. I will.”
After Mike had gone and Jessica had eaten, she and Tori went into the bedroom to awaken Steve.
His groggy response wasn’t encouraging, but Jessica
sat on the side of the bed and got him to take some sips of a chocolate malt. “Maybe this will help his fever go down,” she said.
“I have no idea,” Tori replied. “It’s funny that our mother is a nurse and midwife and neither of us is any good at this medical stuff. Though I have gotten better since I’ve had kids.”
“I hope I have kids,” Jessica said in a pensive state, almost as if she didn’t realize she was talking aloud.
“Of course you’ll have kids. I’m counting on it,” Tori said with a laugh. “How else will I have nieces or nephews?”
“I don’t know. I was in California for three years, and I never met anyone I was interested in.”
“Not even on your last day?” Tori asked.
Jessica stared at her sister. “What are you talking about? Oh, you mean Steve?” She stared at the brown-haired man who had fallen asleep again. She avoided her sister’s eyes. “I don’t know. Besides, it wouldn’t do me any good. I don’t live in L.A. anymore.”
Tori raised her eyebrows, but she didn’t say anything else.
Jessica just smiled and changed the subject as they moved back into the living room. When Tori left for work, Jessica returned to the bedroom.
Once again she tried to rouse Steve and get him to drink more of the chocolate malt. He actually opened his eyes this time, though it was more of a flutter. From what she could see, they were the same color as the malt, a rich chocolate brown.
She couldn’t resist the opportunity to talk to him. “Steve, is your last name Carter?”
“Yeah.” His eyes closed again, but he mumbled something she couldn’t decipher.
She wanted to question him, but there was another knock on the door.
This time she definitely checked and was greatly relieved to find her mother there. “Come in, Mom. I’m glad to see you.”
“I hope I’m not keeping you from sleep,” Anna said, carefully studying her daughter’s face.
“No, I slept about six hours. I may take another nap later, but I’m fine for now.”
“And how is our patient?”
“We woke him up and he drank some of a chocolate malt, but he didn’t really eat anything. Will that help him?”
“It won’t hurt him,” Anna said with a smile.
The beeper on his drip sounded. “I’ll change it since I’m here,” Anna said. “I can check his wound, too.”
The two women adjourned to the bedroom. While they were working on the patient, another knock sounded on the door.
“Is that Dad?” Jessica asked.
“No, he had some work he needed to do. Has Mike been here?”
“Yes, when Tori came with my lunch.”
“Then who could it be? Make sure you look before you unlock the door.”
Her mother didn’t need to warn her.
She couldn’t get a good look at the person, but she could tell it was a man. Before she had a chance to study him, a booming voice sounded through the door.
“Open this door. I know you’re in there.”
Chapter Four
Jessica recognized the voice at once. When she’d left Rawhide three years ago, Bobby Daniels had begged her to marry him. But she’d refused.
“Is that Bobby?” Anna whispered.
Jessica nodded and picked up the phone. After dialing a number, she said, “Let me talk to Mike at once, please.”
“This is Mike,” a strong voice said after a couple of seconds.
“Jess, I’m not going away. Let me in!” Bobby continued to yell.
Jessica ignored him and focused on Mike. “Bobby Daniels is banging on the door, calling my name. He says he knows I’m in here. What do I do?”
“Nothing. I’ll take care of it.”
She hung up the phone and gestured to her mother to be quiet. A minute later they heard Mike’s voice. “Bobby? Come down here please.”
“I’m talking to Jess!” Bobby returned, his voice belligerent.
“I’m not going to ask twice. You either get your butt down here or I’ll haul you down and throw you in jail!”
Jessica held her breath, waiting for Bobby’s response. She let out a sigh of relief when she heard his footsteps going down the stairs.
“How did he know you were here?” Anna asked.
“I don’t know but Mike had better find out.”
MIKE LED THE RECALCITRANT Bobby Daniels into his office and sat him down. “Now, I want to know who told you Jessica was upstairs.”
Refusing to meet his gaze, Bobby said, “I just figured it out.”
“Oh, really? You realized Jessica had returned from Hollywood because…”
“Because her mom went up there.”
“Right. Since her mom is a nurse, it would be unusual for her to visit anyone but her daughters?”
As if realizing his excuses were not going to satisfy the sheriff, Bobby said, “I heard rumors, okay?”
“Of course. Just a minute.” He picked up the phone and dialed two numbers. “Harry, can you come in my office, please?” Then he leaned back in his chair and stared at Bobby, who stirred restlessly in his seat.
“Yeah, Mike?” Harry asked as he came into the office.
“Harry, do you know Bobby Daniels?”
Harry frowned. “We’ve met.”
“Who introduced you?”
“Andy Rivers.” He was a deputy on the night shift.
“Oh, that’s right. They’re close friends, aren’t they?” Mike pretended he had no idea of that fact until this minute.
Bobby’s cheeks flushed.
“Go call him and tell him I want him here in ten minutes.”
“But he’ll be sleeping,” Harry said.
“Just do as I said,” Mike ordered. Then he stood.
Bobby jumped up from his chair. “So I can go?”
“No, I’m afraid not, Bobby. I think you’ll be staying with us for a while.”
“What do you mean? I didn’t break any laws!”
“Sounded to me like you were disturbing the peace with all that yelling.”
“Damn it, you can’t—”
Mike, who was at least six inches taller and broader in the shoulder, raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure about that?”
“I want a lawyer!”
“Sure. I’ll ask Harry to give you your one phone call. You can call the only lawyer in town.”
“But he’s a Randall!”
“Are you suggesting he won’t treat you fairly? I hate to have to tell him you thought that of him.”
“No! But— Fine, I’ll call him.”
Mike took him by the arm and led him to the office door. “Harry, put Bobby in a cell after he calls his lawyer.”
“Okay. What are we charging him with?”
“Disturbing the peace,” Mike said calmly.
He went back into his office and called upstairs. “Everything’s under control, Jess. You did the right thing, calling me. I’m going to post someone across the street with a walkie-talkie, so we won’t be taken by surprise again.”
After he hung up the phone, he sat there staring at the wall, wishing he didn’t have to do what he knew had to be done. It was a shame.
A few minutes later, Andy Rivers knocked on his office door and came in. “Harry said you wanted me, Sheriff?”
“Yes, sit down, Andy.”
Mike stared at the young man across from him. Andy had been working as a deputy for a year now. He had potential. But Mike couldn’t trust him again.
“I believe before you left this morning I told you about my wife’s cousin returning to Rawhide, with the expressed order to not reveal that fact to anyone.”
“Yes, sir,” Andy said, fear on his face.
“So how do you explain the fact that your best friend knew she was in town and exactly where to find her?”
Andy turned bright red and stared at the floor.
“You’ve shown promise, Andy, but I have to fire you.”
“But, Sheriff—”
&nbs
p; “I’m sorry. If you’ll drive over to Buffalo and apply there, I’ll put in a word for you. That’s the best I can do.”
After Andy had left his office, Mike stood there, bracing himself on the doorjamb. Then, with a sigh, he looked over his staff. Selecting one of his men, one of the older deputies, he sent him out to the sidewalk across the street to keep an eye on the stairway that led to the apartment upstairs.
“Don’t let anyone go up there without reporting it. I’ll be the one to decide whether we should take action.”
“Yes, sir.”
After that, he called Harry into his office again.
“Sir down, Harry. I have a delicate assignment for you.”
Harry never hesitated. He was Mike’s favorite employee, always responsible, always willing.
“I want you to visit the owners of all the businesses. Tell them kidnappers have threatened Jess. She’s gone to ground in Hollywood. But the FBI let us know that the kidnappers might come here, thinking she’d come home. So we need to know if anyone new to town asks about Jess.”
“Right.”
“I’m going to put men out there at two-hour shifts to keep an eye on the stairs. Can you work up a schedule for me? I’ve got Macy out there right now.”
“Sure. I can do that before I walk around town and spread the word.”
“Thanks, Harry.”
ANNA WENT TO THE GROCERY store to buy some essentials for Jessica and Steve. Mike had asked that Jessica remain in the upstairs apartment, not show herself around the town.
When Anna returned with Jessica’s requests and a few practical things she hadn’t thought of, she helped her daughter put the groceries away.
“It’s time for me to go, but I don’t want to leave you here alone, dear. Will you be very careful?”
“Of course I will, Mom. And I’m not alone. Steve is here with me.”
“He can’t do much to protect you. He can’t even stay awake most of the time,” Anna complained.
“I know, but he’s getting better, isn’t he?” There was a hopeful plea in her voice that alerted Anna.
“Yes. Did you know him before he got shot?”
“No.”
“But his recovery seems awfully important to you.”
Randall on the Run Page 4
