Face of Danger

by Valerie Hansen

  He was far from that, Cade told himself. Although there was little chance she was hiding from a criminal past, she was nevertheless not being totally open and honest with him. Well, he’d soon put an end to that. First, he’d try to look on the internet using what he already knew. Then, tomorrow, when they were once again together for the entire day, he’d start asking Paige pointed questions. If she continued to be as evasive as she’d been so far, he’d know as much or more than if she aired her concerns.

  Was it necessary to be that insistent? Yes, he answered easily. What she was hiding might play no part in this current investigation but it was coloring her responses to the point where he couldn’t read her the way he did most folks. That made her unpredictable. And being unpredictable made her a lot harder to protect. He had to know more, to make sure nothing pertinent escaped him. He just had to.

  Paige’s sleep was fitful, shallow. The curtains over the motel window were so thick that they blocked out any light. That’s why when Max nudged her with his cold, wet nose, she assumed it must be morning.

  She yawned and stretched. “Hi, boy. Do you want to go out? Is that it?”

  The dog’s response was to race to the door then turn in tight circles.

  Paige sighed as she swung her feet to the carpeted floor. “Okay. Hold your horses. I don’t have a robe so you’ll have to wait till I can get dressed.”

  It did occur to her to phone Cade’s room to inform him she needed to walk Max but the thought of a few minutes’ privacy and peace was terribly appealing. Nobody knew where she was staying, right? It shouldn’t be dangerous to simply slip out and exercise her poor dog for a few minutes.

  Crossing to the chair where she’d piled her clothing, she paused a moment to peek behind the heavy drapes. There was a faint glow in the eastern sky but it wasn’t fully light out yet. Not that that mattered. After all, the motel surroundings were well lit and although the temperature would be chilly, it was only a few yards from her door to the grass where she’d be walking Max.

  She slipped her clothes on and shoved her feet into her sneakers. Once Max’s needs were taken care of she’d have plenty of time to shower and maybe even wash and dry her hair.

  Thinking about how relaxing the hot water would feel, especially on her achy shoulder, she pulled on her jacket, made sure she had the key card for her room, and snapped the leash on the excited dog. Seeing the way Max always greeted the day was invigorating. Often, Paige wished she had half his energy and even a quarter of his joy.

  “Okay, now be quiet,” Paige warned as she eased open the door. “We don’t want to wake Cade.”

  Max was already whining and straining against the leash in his desire to reach the grass exercise strip.

  She had to grin. “I know, I know. I’m hurrying.”

  In her haste she didn’t realize how hard the door to her room would slam if she didn’t keep hold of it. The resulting thud echoed along the exterior hallway and made her cringe.

  Oops. Not good, she thought, pausing just long enough to put an ear to Cade’s door. There was no sound of activity in his room. She’d gotten away with it. Whew!

  Cade awoke with a start, unsure of what had disturbed him. Heart thumping, he sat up in bed and listened. Traffic on the street was little more than a hum and since the November weather was anything but balmy, his room air conditioner wasn’t running to make background noise.

  He looked at his watch. It was probably way too early to rouse Paige. However, since he was wide awake he decided to put the coffeemaker in the room to good use. Better to have some caffeine in his system than greet her before coffee, the way he had previously.

  That memory made him smile. Paige was an extraordinary person all right. Very few folks, men or women, could have faced all she had recently and remained so level-headed. No doubt it had helped that they’d been able to bring her big dog along but that alone wasn’t enough to change a flighty female into someone as courageous in the face of danger as Paige was. Even when she was scared to death she was still able to act in her own defense. In her case, he wasn’t sure whether that was an asset or a drawback.

  He pulled on his western cut slacks while he waited for the coffee to brew, then poured himself a cup. He’d shave before calling Paige’s room, he decided, just in case she was the kind of person who got ready to go in a hurry. It was probably almost light outside already.

  Carrying the plastic cup of steaming coffee and taking cautious sips, Cade walked to the window and slipped his free hand between the sections of drapery to push them aside.

  When he looked out and spotted Paige he choked. Coughed. Dribbled coffee down the side of the cup and burned his fingers. “What the…”

  He jerked open his door. “Hey! What do you think you’re doing?”

  Instead of looking repentant, she merely waved and smiled.

  Barefoot and without dress shirt or jacket, Cade hesitated to chase after her. He quickly surveyed the area and saw no immediate threat. Nevertheless, he thought better of continuing to shout and draw unwanted attention, so he motioned with his whole arm while nodding toward the hallway.

  “Come on, come on,” he murmured in disgust. “Get back here where you belong.”

  Paige turned away and concentrated on her dog rather than heed his orders. Cade was furious. She was going to force him to go fetch her.

  He looked both ways to be sure the coast was clear, then stepped off the curb. The cement walkway had been only slightly colder than the asphalt he now felt beneath his bare feet but at least the halls had been swept clean. Pebbles of varying sizes and sharpness littered the parking lot. Half walking, half hobbling, he stormed toward her, determined to give her a piece of his mind that she’d never forget.

  If he hadn’t been so angry he might have noticed an approaching vehicle sooner. It was the sound of its powerful engine that first caught his attention. He glanced up, following the noise to its source.

  The car was big. And black. And racing directly at him as if he were a deer caught in the crosshairs of a rifle scope.

  Paige screamed at the same moment Cade realized he was in jeopardy.

  He threw his coffee, dived between two parked cars and hit the ground rolling. A sharp pain cut through him near his ribs. Was he hit? Shot?

  In seconds he realized that his only injuries were sore ribs and a few scrapes.

  Cade gritted his teeth. He deserved far worse than that for leaving his room unarmed. Some guardian he was.

  At this point, all he could think about was that it might be her lying there injured. That notion hurt more than his actual injuries.

  ELEVEN

  Time seemed to stop for Paige. Standing there with her hand pressed to the base of her throat she could barely breathe, barely move. Had the car actually hit Cade? Was it her fault that another innocent person had been injured—or worse?

  Max pulled her toward the prone figure of the Ranger as the passing vehicle slued around a corner and roared away.

  “Whoa, call him off,” Cade ordered as he sat up.

  “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah, except for a few bruises and a lot of dog slobber.” He levered himself to his feet. “Did you get the license number?”

  “No, I never thought…” She could tell from his tight expression that her flimsy excuse was going to lead right into the lecture he was planning to deliver. Well, maybe she deserved it, although if he hadn’t come outside when he did, everything might have been okay.

  Paige held up her hand, palm out, to ward off the anticipated rebuke and realized then that she was shaking like a sapling in a Texas tornado. “You don’t have to say it. I know I should have told you Max needed to go out but it was so early I thought it would be okay. I did check the parking lot. Honest, I did. There wasn’t a soul out here.”

  “Yeah, so did I. They were probably watching from a distance,” Cade said, looking perturbed. “It’s not all your fault. I should have been armed.” He nodded toward the rooms. “Come
on. Let’s get back inside before my toes freeze off.”

  “I really am sorry. I’m still not used to being somebody’s target.”

  “I should be used to it,” he said, starting to pick his way across the pavement as if his feet were sore. “I was positive I heard you promise not to leave your room without telling me.”

  “It was all Max’s idea. He made me do it,” Paige said, hoping a quip, no matter how silly, would help temper the Ranger’s mood. He didn’t smile but he did raise an eyebrow at her.

  “Then I suppose I’ll have to handcuff the dog instead of you.”

  “Lots of luck making that work.” She chanced a smile. “His wrists are the same diameter as his paws.”

  They mounted the sidewalk and Paige glanced down. “Uh-oh. Look. Your foot is bleeding.”

  “It’s nothing. I have a first aid kit in my truck.”

  “Then get it,” she said. “The least I can do is bandage you up.”

  “Not on your life. If you think your neighbors are bad about gossip, you should hang around the folks I work with. I can just hear what Captain Parker would say if anybody reported that we’d been seen coming out of the same motel room after having spent time in there together. I’ll take care of the cut myself.”

  Although she saw the wisdom in his statement she was nevertheless hurt. “You don’t trust me?”

  Cade snorted cynically. “Let’s just say I know better than to let myself be put in a compromising position, no matter how innocent it really is. Why do you think I left the door open before?”

  “Okay. Have it your way.”

  As Paige withdrew, unlocked her own room and entered, she was positive she heard him mutter something that sounded an awful lot like, “It’s me I don’t trust.”

  That couldn’t have been what he’d actually said. Of course it couldn’t. He’d never given her the slightest reason to distrust him, nor had he made any inappropriate advances.

  Well, unless she counted the way he’d hugged her after her flat tire and narrow escape on the side of the highway. She grew thoughtful, then decided that if Cade had wanted to embrace her for personal reasons, he’d missed several more excellent opportunities. Like when my overnight bag was stolen, not to mention a few moments ago.

  No, she concluded. Cade hadn’t been making a pass at her before and he certainly hadn’t meant anything like that just now. They were professional colleagues, that was all. Bummer.

  Paige looked down at her dog and smiled. “Max, old boy, I am officially a doofus. Do you know that?”

  When Max wiggled his back end and looked up at her as if he was smiling, she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. What a sweetie! If people were half as easy for her to understand as animals were, she’d feel a lot more well-adjusted.

  And probably a lot less lonely, she added ruefully. Funny. Until very recently she’d been positive that she was fully content with her job and an uncomplicated routine. Now, suddenly, she was beginning to wish there were more people in her life.

  Paige huffed. Who was she kidding? She didn’t need big groups of friends to make her feel accepted. All she needed was one person. The one who had assured her that she was dressed well enough to visit the governor no matter what she happened to be wearing. The one currently occupying the adjoining room.

  By the time Cade had treated the small cut on his foot and had finished shaving and dressing, his stomach was growling like a bear just coming out of hibernation. A big ranch-style Texas breakfast was what he needed. He made a face at himself in the bathroom mirror as he combed his hair. The only way he was going to convince Paige to visit a restaurant with him was to find one that would welcome Max. Chances of that were slim to none. Unless…

  He slung his belt around his waist, adjusted the holster placement, then pulled on his jacket before ducking outside to knock on her door.

  When she greeted him she was obviously ready to leave. He eyed her from head to toe. “Nice choice. I like that new sweater.”

  “Thanks. When I saw this shade of green I couldn’t pass it up. You don’t think it’s too fancy?”

  Cade shook his head. “Of course not. The sparkles really look good.” Especially with the beautiful green color of your eyes.

  “Well, I’m ready. Just let me grab my purse.”

  “Okay. Listen, I was thinking. If the techs in San Antonio say they can do some of the work for you, why don’t we take a run down there today?”

  “I have way too much to do in my office. I can’t waste time being away.”

  “It’s not a waste if it lets you get started on the modeling sooner. Didn’t your supplier tell you it might be weeks before he could ship you a new laser scanner?”

  “Yes, but…”

  “Then why fight it? You and I both want the same thing. Besides, the drive will give us a chance to relax for a change.”

  “Assuming the bad guys don’t catch us sneaking out of town?”

  “Yeah. Something like that. We could probably find a restaurant along the way and get a decent meal instead of eating on the truck tailgate again and half freezing to death.”

  “I suppose I could call ahead and see if their lab’s equipment is in use. I could also find out if it’s detailed enough for STL—stereo lithography.”

  “I’ve heard of that. Isn’t that where a computer lays down one thin layer of resin powder at a time and then fuses it?”

  “Yes. The process is called SLS, selective laser sintering. The technique was developed for making prototype models for industry but it’s perfect for forensics, too.”

  “How long does it take?”

  “Usually several days from the scan to the finished model, but if they’ve already made a usable scan of the skeleton, they should be able to use that and go right to work.”

  “Okay. Call them and see. Maybe they can start on it early and we can pick it up later today.”

  “We, Kemosabe?” Paige was grinning.

  “Of course, we. I’m not about to leave you and I figured you’d insist on being there to watch.”

  “Smart man.”

  “I’m glad you admit it.” He was pleased to see her spirits lifting as they planned their next move. “Tell you what. If we have to wait for the lab in San Antonio to finish, why don’t we visit the crime scene where the skull was found? That’s down there, too.”

  “Thanks, but no thanks. If we do go, I’ll be staying with the technicians to supervise. And speaking of the skull, we’ll need to stop at my office and get it out of the safe.”

  “Okay. Make your call and let’s either hit the road or find something else constructive to do here.”

  As he waited and listened to her speaking with the lab techs on the phone, he realized he had another reason for wanting to take Paige to San Antonio. The trip might give him a chance to show off his ranch, even if all they did was drive past it.

  Why? Because that spread was his pride and joy and impressing her had suddenly become important. There was no use trying to deny it so he didn’t. He cared what she thought of him and of his home. That was all there was to it.

  “Yeah, right,” he muttered, thoroughly disgusted with himself. The mere sight of her was starting to affect him strangely, as if he were a little country boy getting a glimpse of his first pony or his first BB gun.

  That thought made Cade grin and laugh out loud just as she hung up the phone.

  “What’s so funny?” Paige asked.

  “I am.” He indicated the telephone she’d been using. “So, are we going?”

  “Yes. Their equipment isn’t as new as mine was but they have the time to build the replica. My only other choice would be to use the actual bone for a base and I’ve been asked not to do that this time.”

  “Come on, then. Let’s go pick up the skull in case we might need it and hit the road.”

  “You’re not going to tell me what was so funny just now?”

  “Nope. Maybe later.”

  “Promi
se?”

  He laughed again. “No. I know better than to do that, especially in view of the way you feel about making promises.”

  Cade was checking the parking area for safety as he escorted her toward his truck. He helped her and Max in, watching as she scooted over all the way to the other door. To his relief she was still smiling. That was a good sign. By the time they’d reached the San Antonio area, maybe she’d have relaxed enough to tell him a little something more about herself.

  It wasn’t enough for him to have learned of her sister’s kidnapping from his father. He wanted Paige to tell him. To trust him enough to open up and let him into a portion of her life that she’d been guarding so well that no one she worked with seemed to be aware of it.

  Sliding behind the wheel he started the truck, then turned to her. “Before we go, I want you to know I wasn’t blaming you for what happened this morning when I mentioned keeping promises.”

  She lowered her gaze and started staring at her clasped hands in her lap. “I shouldn’t have gone out alone.”

  “No, you shouldn’t have. But just because a similar vehicle caused problems before, that doesn’t mean this was the same one. Or that the driver was really after you.”

  She looked up, eyes shining. “Actually, it looked like it was trying to run you down this time, not me.”

  Nodding, Cade checked his mirrors before backing out and heading for the main highway. “That is a possibility.”

  His hands gripped the wheel tightly. In his opinion, it was far more likely that the criminals responsible were trying to get rid of him only to clear a path to Paige. That must never happen.

  Clenching his jaw, he realized that he’d already made a grave mistake. He’d let himself begin to care for her. And that emotional involvement would cloud his insight, whether he wanted it to or not.