Texas Christmas Defender

by Elizabeth Goddard

  Okay. So, he’d found Adriana. Though it surprised him, that had been his hope and prayer. But Colt would want to know that, too. The Rangers needed to know. Only problem was that they all thought she was guilty of murdering border patrol agent Greg Gunn. Brent needed more information—like if she had an alibi. Something, some kind of evidence, that he could use to prove she was innocent before he called them. And he shouldn’t wait too long. That could get them killed. Not just Brent and Adriana, but also the sweet, elderly Inez.

  Brent needed his team here, one way or another, but not yet.

  And...it was Christmas Day.

  Brent just might learn more from her by spending time with her today—this special day of all days, when she might let her guard down a little—than he could if the Texas Rangers descended on the ranch to arrest her for Gunn’s murder and the drugs and money she’d taken. And that was exactly what would happen if he made that call. But if he didn’t make that call in time—with the proof he needed, the evidence of her innocence—then Garcia’s men could descend on the ranch and kill her.

  God, please help me find the truth before it’s too late.

  THREE

  After savoring the last bite of delectable smoked turkey, corn bread dressing and the other delicious sides prepared with an El Paso flair, Adriana set her fork on her empty plate. She’d eaten entirely too much, but it was Christmas. If they couldn’t indulge a little while celebrating the day set aside for the birth of Christ, then what was left? Inez rose and grabbed the dish.

  “I’ll help you with the dishes.” Adriana stood to clear the table, as did Brent.

  “I can help,” he said.

  “No, no, no.” Both she and Inez spoke at the same time.

  Her fingers brushed his as she took the plates from him, sending a current racing up her arm, and she flinched away from him, not as subtly as she should have, clanking dishes. A knowing look lingered in his gaze. Adriana rushed to the kitchen, hoping he hadn’t noticed the sudden current as they touched as well, and her obvious reaction.

  Sharing the meal with a Texas Ranger who had hunted her, a stranger for the most part, had been...well...strange. The strangest part was that it should have been awkward, but it wasn’t. Instead, it was downright pleasant. They had both managed to put aside their pressing situation and actually enjoy the meal together, enjoy each other’s company. For Inez’s sake, of course.

  Adriana would keep telling herself that.

  If only she didn’t like so many things about the guy. She liked the sound of the man’s laugh. The way his intense green eyes crinkled at the corners and those triple dimples in his cheeks.

  And the way he’d said grace over the meal...like he personally knew the One whose birth they celebrated today. That had given her goose bumps. Brent McCord had too many good qualities that she admired.

  Stop it. Just stop it!

  She absolutely could not let her emotions run wild where he was concerned. But how did she gain control over them? What was it about him that had had her risking her life to save him before? And now, inviting him to share Christmas with her. He was a hunter and she his prey. She should want to get as far away from him as possible rather than feeling an unstoppable attraction that kept pulling her closer.

  “You should go spend time with your guest.” Inez stuck the dishes in a sink of soapy water. “When did you learn he would come?”

  “Oh, I was as surprised to see him as you were.”

  Adriana dried each dish as Inez handed it over, and she could easily tell by the woman’s expression she wasn’t fully convinced.

  “Inez, how did you know that he was here to protect me?” Especially since that was only one of the reasons he’d come to the ranch. Just how much had Inez already figured out? Did she understand the Ranger could haul Adriana off to incarcerate her at any moment?

  “He has the bearing of a protector. It flashes strong and determined in his eyes when he looks at you, as if you are something precious to be carefully guarded.” Inez held her gaze, but Adriana had to look away before the woman read too much there.

  Inez chuckled and went back to washing dishes. “And he’s not just a protector—he’s a handsome cowboy with good manners who seems to love God. Add to that the way you look at each other, makes me wonder why you haven’t mentioned him before.” Inez glanced up from the dishes again, her face wrinkled with her smile.

  That Inez could read Adriana so easily wasn’t good news. Nor did she want it to be true, what the woman had implied—that there was a clear connection between them that was visible to anyone who cared to look. Could it be that she’d had a crush on him ever since she’d saved him? Some odd emotional connection originating in their brief time together? She didn’t want that to be the case, but the way she reacted told her it was true.

  Her heart pounded erratically when the image of the first time she had seen him came back to mind as clear as if it had happened yesterday. She had managed to avoid participating in her brother’s cartel, but she’d been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Seen a man hiding as gunmen searched. What was she supposed to do? Stand idly by and watch them find and murder him? She would be as guilty as her brother if she stood by and did nothing, so she’d distracted the man who’d come the closest to finding the Ranger and told him she’d seen someone running in the other direction.

  After they’d taken off, she’d approached the hiding man. Fear and determination had both shone through the Ranger’s gaze, and something had pinged inside her heart. She hated her brother’s cartel. Hated the murder and the bloodshed, but there was often nothing she could do about it. That was why she’d wanted to escape. But, in that moment, she’d known she had to do something more—to find a way to sabotage the cartel so that she could bring it down.

  The first step would be to save the man hiding from her brother’s henchmen. So she’d taken it one step further and hidden him in her vehicle and then in her home until she could safely lead him out and away the next day in the early hours.

  “I see you’re thinking about him even now.” Inez’s words pulled her back to the moment, where she stood looking at dirty dishwater instead of gazing into the appreciative Ranger’s eyes.

  Adriana frowned but let Inez see at least a half smile. “It’s not like that between us.”

  Seeing him again this morning had terrified her, and yet a thrill had run through her at the sight of him. Crazy. Absolutely crazy. She couldn’t afford to be drawn to him. Had to pull away to save her heart. Somehow she’d have to keep him at a distance.

  If only she could shake the connection with him, shake how much she liked him. Surely the attraction wouldn’t be too difficult to stifle. Yes, he was strong and brave and capable and protective and, as Inez said, a handsome cowboy. But he didn’t trust her, so she could use that suspicion to tamp down on those runaway emotions for the Ranger. Nothing strong and lasting could be built on such a shaky foundation.

  “I’m sorry, Inez, I haven’t... I haven’t been completely honest with you. He’s a... He’s a Texas Ranger.”

  Inez’s eyes grew wide and she studied Adriana but said nothing as she waited for an explanation.

  “He came to arrest me. The Texas Rangers believe I killed a border patrol agent.”

  “Oh.” Inez covered her mouth, then slowly dropped her hand. “And this man, the Ranger, he believes you’re guilty?”

  “I’m not sure if he believes I’m innocent or not. Either way, what he personally believes doesn’t really matter. The other Texas Rangers, and probably other law enforcement entities as well, are out there hunting me.”

  “But Mr. McCord, Ranger McCord, was the one to find you. He seems willing to hear you out—to believe that you’re not a killer.”

  Adriana shrugged. “Even if he is, what can I say to convince him? I have no proof of my innoc
ence. There’s evidence that I was there that night, at the salsa factory on the border.”

  “Evidence? But what evidence? I know you did not kill this person. I know you could never kill anyone.”

  Adriana drew the woman into a brief hug, then released her. “Thank you for believing in me, for trusting me even after everything you know. You’re the only person who knows the truth about me. You’re the only person I’ve trusted up until this moment.”

  “Do you mean to say you trust the Ranger?”

  “I want to trust him, but if I’m wrong, that mistake could be deadly.”

  “This murdered man. Tell me about him.”

  “I don’t know much—I didn’t even realize I was a suspect until the Ranger told me earlier today.” Adriana gave a hesitant laugh. “But I vaguely remember hearing about the murder the next day on the news. I think his name is Greg Gunn and he was found dead at some salsa factory.”

  “Yes, yes. Border Patrol Agent Greg Gunn!” Inez seemed unusually excited. “I remember hearing about the murder on the news the next morning. That night, I hadn’t been able to sleep and had gotten up for a glass of milk. I saw you heading to the barn with a bucket of grain to care for Kiana again around two in the morning. There’s no way you could have been committing a murder that night, because you were in the barn taking care of your llama. I waited in the kitchen and drank my milk, in case Kiana decided to go into labor early, since she was having so much trouble already. So, my friend, you have an alibi.”

  Adriana couldn’t believe what Inez was telling her. “Are you serious? Oh, Inez!” She hugged her again. “Thank you, thank you.”

  She released the woman before she crushed her with gratitude.

  “Now,” Inez urged, “go tell your Ranger the news.”

  Adriana hoped that Inez’s testimony would be proof enough that Adriana hadn’t committed murder. She slipped out of the kitchen and into the dining room, but Ranger McCord wasn’t there. Maybe he’d gone to check the perimeter of the property again. The fact that he’d found his way onto her property without setting off any of her booby traps, or that he’d found her at all, served as a warning that others far more nefarious could follow his lead.

  She hadn’t allowed the full meaning of it to hit her. Until now. The nightmare was closing in on her. Rio would find her soon. She should be grateful for Ranger McCord’s appearance—it was a forewarning that her time of hiding was coming to an end. But she didn’t want the Ranger’s life to be in harm’s way from her brother and his men again.

  The most dangerous man alive was hunting her. She’d saved Brent once before, and he might be tough, but she wouldn’t endanger his life again. And yet, how exactly was she supposed to get rid of him? Since he’d arrived, he appeared to have every intention of staying close to Adriana one way or another. He wanted to bring her in on the charges against her, as his orders dictated, but she sensed that he truly wanted to protect her from any attacks, as well. Both motives meant he wouldn’t be easily sent away.

  Regardless, she had to find him and tell him about her alibi so that he would believe her, truly believe that she was innocent. The fact that she wanted to convince him for far different reasons than her imminent arrest disturbed her. She cared more that Brent, the man, believed her than Brent the Ranger.

  Adriana opened the door and attempted to step through to go outside at the exact moment that Brent was stepping inside—they remained in the doorway together. She hesitated in moving forward, as did he, which resulted in them standing much too close. Attraction sparked between them and somehow prevented either of them from pressing on. The mistletoe above them caught her attention.

  Mistletoe?

  Inez!

  When had the woman hung that sneaky, obnoxious sprig of scrub brush?

  Her heart hammered at the thought of kissing this brave and strong protective Ranger. The masculine scent of his cologne wrapped around her and filled her head. Adriana had thought of him far too much over the two years since she’d met him. They had emotionally connected then, and the sparks between them at this moment proved that neither time nor distance had diminished that connection. But what did she do with it now? She couldn’t think straight with him standing so near.

  She quickly stepped away, heat warming her cheeks.

  The way he looked at her, the longing in his gaze, she couldn’t help but wonder—if she’d remained under the mistletoe, would he have kissed her?

  * * *

  Full soft lips. Warm brown eyes and dark eyelashes. Blushing pink cheeks.

  Brent’s heart bucked like a wild horse.

  He had to gain control of himself. Had to snuff out his overwhelming desire to kiss Adriana—a fugitive being hunted by the Garcia cartel, not to mention the Texas Rangers and law enforcement at large. She’d manage to elude everyone chasing her for weeks now, but there she stood—the woman he’d come to find—and his head was filled with thoughts he shouldn’t have about her. What had gotten into him?

  The beautiful Adriana Garcia. That’s what. The thick emotions swirling in her gaze nearly undid him. She felt entirely too close, even after she stepped away.

  Her eyes locked with his and he could easily see the longing that glistened in her gaze. But she shuttered it away and took another step from him. He had no doubt of her attraction to him, but he also understood that she wanted to keep her distance. Funny how the two of them could understand so much, could agree on the invisible boundaries, without uttering a word about it.

  Good. Hopefully, between the two of them, they could keep their distance. And focus on staying alive.

  She cleared her throat. “What now? Are you going to turn me in to the law? Take me to your Rangers’ headquarters?”

  Adriana had asked him the question boiling through his thoughts all day. He shrugged because he wasn’t ready to answer yet. He was still biding his time, hoping she would open up and tell him more about the stolen drugs and money and whatever she knew about Gunn’s murder.

  “Christmas Day will be over soon,” she said. “I have some chores to take care of. The llamas don’t take holidays.”

  “I can help with that,” he said. “I meant to ask you—when I scouted the ranch, I didn’t see any ranch hands around. Did you give the help today off?”

  She shook her head. “Inez and I can easily handle thirty llamas without any extra help. With the ranch being so near the border, I’ve been afraid if I bring on a stranger, a ranch hand, that someone could recognize me. Either someone who works for my brother, or someone from law enforcement.”

  “What about Inez? You weren’t afraid she would recognize you and tell someone?”

  “When she found me, she knew nothing about my identity—that I was Rio Garcia’s sister—or about those searching for me. But eventually I told her everything. She’s my only friend in this.”

  Brent found himself wanting to be her friend, as well. He wanted to see trust in her eyes when she looked at him. He was too quickly losing his objectivity with her. “I’m sorry you’ve had nowhere else to turn, and I’m glad you at least have Inez and this ranch.” He motioned to the old cracked-leather sofa. “Can we talk?”

  She nodded and joined him.

  “I think you’re right that Garcia will eventually find you. So you need protection, more protection than I can offer on my own. My team can help you, but we need reasons to trust you. You say you didn’t kill Greg, but I need proof, Adriana. I want to believe you.” He scraped a hand down his face. That wasn’t true. “I do believe you, but the others I need with me to help me protect you might not be so easy to convince.” And was that the whole of it? Brent had been far too easy to convince because he was defenseless against Adriana’s warm brown eyes.

  “Ranger McCord...”

  “Call me Brent, please.” Oh, now he was making it personal. But h
e’d never liked formality anyway.

  “Brent.” She sat taller, excitement in her eyes. “I have an alibi.”

  “What? Why didn’t you tell me that before?”

  “Because I didn’t know. I didn’t even know I was wanted for murder until you showed up. I didn’t realize I needed an alibi. But I told Inez that there was apparently evidence against me, and she remembered something important. And it’s because you came looking for me that Inez even mentioned this to me.”

  “Go on.”

  He listened as Adriana explained Inez’s story, then he spoke to Inez himself to hear the words from her lips, see the truth in her eyes, verifying the facts. He couldn’t believe how much relief swelled inside. Relief that Adriana, this woman who was still hunted by the law, was innocent of murder.

  Yes, she admitted she possessed her brother’s drugs she’d stolen from the Texas warehouse, but there was no evidence that she’d taken the drugs to establish her own cartel, which was the main concern the Rangers had held. In fact, she claimed her intent was to ruin Garcia’s cartel or at least destabilize it. Maybe he was right about what kind of person she was, after all. And the best news was that this confirmed what he’d known in his gut, which meant he could still trust his instincts. Knowing the truth allowed him to make a decision.

  He found Adriana in the barn cleaning up the spilled grain.

  “Well?” She eyed him.

  He saw the hope in her gaze and also not a little fear. Inez’s story was pivotal to proving Adriana’s innocence. Brent nodded in reply to her unspoken question—Do you believe me now? He’d already told her he believed her, but proving it was the issue. “Inez’s words ring true.” He released a long, grateful sigh.

  “But will the others believe her?”

  “Yes. And they’ll trust me in this.” He hoped. After Greg’s death, Colt hadn’t been able to see straight for wanting to get his hands on Adriana himself, but in the end, Colt had trusted Brent to find her and had been willing to consider the idea that Brent’s intuition about her innocence just might be right—she hadn’t killed Greg Gunn. Yes, she was guilty of taking the drugs and money—but as a means to bring her brother down and as a means to survive. It could be used as leverage against her brother. Plus, if they arrested her for the drugs, they might not get what they wanted in the end—her brother, Garcia.