The Ranger’s Company D headquarters in San Antonio sat at the Y of two roads. Housing developments were beginning to encroach on the east and southwest. To the north lay undeveloped farmland. Unlike Austin, there were few trees around these buildings and even less shrubbery.
That suited Paige fine. The less places there were for their adversaries to hide in ambush, the better she liked it.
When Cade parked in the employee lot, Paige saw plenty of spaces that would accommodate the full length of a truck and stock trailer. Even in big cities like Austin, there might be need for a mounted patrol and Rangers dearly loved hauling their horses around with them whenever possible.
She began to scoot past the steering wheel while Max attempted to squeeze through next to the gas and brake pedals.
Cade grabbed the trailing end of the leash. He was having trouble keeping a straight face. “Okay. You can bring the dog.”
“Thanks. Don’t worry. Max is housebroken.”
“That was a real relief to see when we went to the governor’s office. I must confess I was a little worried about him.”
“Who? The governor or Max?” She giggled.
All Cade did in reply was roll his eyes and shake his head as he held the door for her. “You are a strange and interesting woman, Miss Paige.”
“Thanks, I think.”
“You’re welcome. Let’s stop by the office. I’ll introduce you.”
“Actually, I was here not too long ago,” she said pleasantly. “I drove down to make the sketches for Corinna Pike, remember?”
She’d also met Captain Pike before his murder and although she hadn’t known him well, she could tell by the unusually subdued atmosphere when they entered the building that he was still sorely missed.
Cade led the way into one of the private offices. A tall, sandy-haired Ranger rose politely from the chair behind his desk. Paige recognized him as Captain Benjamin Fritz, the officer who had taken Pike’s place after his untimely death.
While Cade briefly filled Fritz in about the vandalism of her studio, Paige offered her hand and shook his.
“Good to see you again, ma’am,” the captain said. “Sorry to hear about your troubles. Hopefully, you’ll enjoy a peaceful visit to our city.”
“Thanks. If it’s quieter than Austin’s been lately, I know I will.” Paige stepped back. “I actually came to use your lab. They tell me they may be able to help with my work.”
“Good,” Fritz said. “Y’all just make yourselves at home.” He cast a warning glance at Cade. “See that you keep this lady safe. She’s a very valuable asset to the Texas Rangers.”
“Yes, sir.” Cade touched the brim of his white hat in a parting salute.
“Maybe we shouldn’t have stopped here before going to the lab,” Paige said quietly as they left. “Your boss sounded a little put out.”
“Don’t worry about it. I’ll have to file a stack of reports and the captain would have learned all the gory details then, anyway.” He huffed. “I’m getting so far behind in my paperwork since I started hanging around with you, I may not catch up till spring—if then.”
“Hey, it’s not my fault.”
“I know. I wasn’t blaming you.” He took her elbow to guide her through the front of the building, crossing the narrow, grassy, open area that was tucked between two sections that formed a U shape. The stars and stripes was displayed there, just above the red-white-and-blue Texas state flag with its one, enormous star.
Sunlight on the fluttering banners made them seem almost alive, as if they were proud to represent state and nation. Paige smiled to herself. She was proud to do so, too. This was her destiny. She gave new life to the lost and helped bring justice where otherwise there might be none.
When she’d first gone to work as a forensic artist she’d kept track of every success, counting each like a trophy. Now that almost five years had passed, however, she’d lost track. That was okay. She didn’t need to cite numbers to know that her work was critical to the success of law enforcement, the Rangers in particular.
Cade held the door for her and she passed through into the forensics division.
“Hey, you can’t bring that dog in here,” someone hollered.
Instead of leaving, Paige passed the leash to Cade and relieved him of the padded case. “Do you mind?”
“Nope. We’ll wait outside.”
“Good. I don’t know how long this will take but it won’t be fast. Make yourselves comfortable.”
She had to smile while she watched both Cade and Max amble over to an elm that was casting little shade at this time of the year. Man and dog looked equally disappointed, right down to their hang-dog expressions and plodding steps.
Continuing to grin, Paige focused her attention on the gangly, sandy-haired, freckled young man who had shouted at her. His ID badge said his name was Lonnie and he looked barely old enough to be out of high school, let alone in charge of anything in a forensics lab.
“Sorry about that, Lonnie. I wasn’t thinking. I’m Paige Bryant, from Austin. I called this morning and talked to James. He said you’d be able to build a sinter copy for me. Is he here?”
“I’ll go check. You got some ID?”
She reached into her purse for her wallet and displayed her driver’s license as well as her Texas Ranger Associate card. “See? It’s really me.”
“Yeah, well, maybe. You did come in with a Ranger so I guess you’re legit. I don’t wanna get into more trouble over stupid skulls.”
“Trouble?”
He rolled his eyes and arched his brows beneath tousled hair that had fallen across part of his forehead. “Oh, yeah. You don’t know what trouble is till you almost hand evidence like that to the wrong guy.”
Paige’s heart was in her throat. “What happened? When? How?”
“It was just this morning. Boy, was James steamed when he found out I almost got fooled. Good thing for me the guy was so jumpy. He ran off when I asked for an ID.”
“He didn’t get away with anything?”
“Nope. Must have been on a scavenger hunt or something dumb like that. Hang on. I’ll go get the boss.”
Still fighting the panic she’d felt when the technician had made his confession, Paige stuck her head out the door to let Cade know what was going on.
“Keep your eyes open,” she called. “There was somebody here earlier who tried to pick up evidence that didn’t belong to him.” She shuddered. “I can’t imagine what we’d have done if they’d handed over our skull, even if they do have the data already stored.”
“Could it have been a mistake?”
“Not the way the kid inside tells it,” Paige said soberly. “It’s a good thing we stopped for breakfast. Whoever is trying to interfere probably thought we’d already gotten here.”
A sober nod was Cade’s only reply. Paige could see his gaze moving over their surroundings as though he were a sentry on guard duty in the middle of a war zone.
“I guess they haven’t given up.”
“Well, they’re going about it so stupidly that it’s almost laughable. Nothing is going to stop me. Period.”
Seeing the way Cade’s shoulders tensed and his back grew ramrod straight, she knew where his thoughts had carried him. He’d been present during most of her trials. Yes, she was uneasy but she was also fighting mad. She would work 24/7 to get this face reconstructed if need be.
And in the meantime, as soon as she was back at her own repaired computer, she was going to run the programs that showed probable features, using 3-D scans of the bone structure, and circulate that picture, as well. They were going to solve this case. She was going to solve this case. Or die trying.
TWELVE
Cade notified his fellow Rangers as well as the State Troopers about the stranger’s efforts to pick up evidence, suggested they check surveillance tapes, then settled down under the tree again. He scratched Max’s ears and was rewarded with a noisy sigh. “Glad you appreciate me,” Cade said. “I�
��d heard that making friends with a woman’s pet was the sure way to impress her. I’m sure glad you’re not a cat. ’Course, I could always stuff a cat into a carrying case. That would be pretty hard to do with an animal as big as you.”
That silly image brought a chuckle. “And here I am, cooling my heels and talking to a dog.”
Laughter from behind him caused him to tense. He whirled and tilted back his hat to see who was there.
“Daniel. Don’t sneak up on me like that,” Cade said to the closest person, noting that there were three Rangers in the group: Oliver Drew, Daniel Boone Riley and Gisella Hernandez.
The men remained standing, apparently highly amused by the ramblings they’d overheard, while Gisella knelt and began to make a fuss over Max.
“I’d always heard that walking a dog was the perfect way to attract women,” Daniel said, nodding toward the dark-haired female Ranger. “Guess it’s so.”
Gisella’s brown eyes narrowed as she gave her comrades a derisive look. “Knock it off, boys, or I’ll have to report you.”
“She wouldn’t dare,” Oliver Drew argued. “She knows there are too many of us to take on all at once. We’d make her life miserable.”
Cade was about to speak in her defense when Daniel did it for him. “I’m sure she had to work twice as hard as you did, Drew, or she wouldn’t have gotten this far.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Stuffing his hands in his pockets the antagonist sauntered away.
“What’s his problem?” Cade asked.
“You know Oliver.” Daniel shrugged and smiled. “So, since Max is here, I assume Paige can’t be far away.”
“She’s using the lab.”
“And you’re sitting out here? That’s a surprise. I thought you two were like Siamese twins.”
Cade eyed the dog. “He was banished so I had no choice. If anything happened to him, Paige would never forgive me.”
Gisella’s eyebrows arched as she glanced over. “Well, well. Do I detect a little romance in the air?”
He gave her a harsh look of warning, hoping that would suffice. It didn’t. She began to smile so he simply said, “No comment.”
Softening, she studied him. “I’m glad. It’s about time you settled down the way Anderson and Fritz have.”
“Uh-oh,” Daniel said. “Maybe it’s catching like a virus.” He backed away, hands raised in front of him as if fending off an invisible attack. “Just see that you don’t give it to me. Once was enough.”
“How is your son these days?” Cade asked.
“He’s a typical teen. Unfortunately.”
Gisella got to her feet, much to the dog’s apparent disappointment. She chuckled as she looked down. “Give me a faithful dog or horse anytime. They’re too dumb to be devious.”
“Which is why you don’t find many of those critters doing hard time,” Cade joked, “although Paige did tell me she rescued Max from the pound so I guess you could say he’d been in jail.”
“Poor guy. Well, I suppose I’d better get back to my desk.” She gave Daniel and Cade an exaggerated look of disdain. “Some of us have work to do. See you later.”
“Yeah,” Cade said, rising. “I think I’ll grab my laptop from the truck. Might as well work out here while I’m waiting.”
Daniel fell into step beside him as Cade started off. “So, what’s the latest on Paige’s truck? Was it a bullet hole in her tire?”
“Yes. If you see her, don’t bring it up, okay? She’s stopped asking when she’ll get the truck back and I’d just as soon keep driving her around myself. It’s safer.”
“And a lot more fun,” Daniel countered, grinning. “I hate to agree with Gisella but I think you’ve caught the bug, buddy.” He sobered. “What does Paige think?”
Cade sighed. “Beats me. She’s so engrossed in her work it’s hard to get her to talk about anything else, let alone discuss her feelings.” Reaching the edge of the parking lot he paused. “That was one of the reasons I encouraged her to make this trip. I was hoping it would give us a chance to have a casual conversation while I drove.”
“Did it?”
“Not so far. Not even when we stopped at a roadside diner for a quick breakfast. But I have high hopes for the return trip. I think Paige will settle down once she has everything she needs to begin recreating the face in clay.”
Daniel extended his hand and they shook as they parted. “Well, hang in there. Whatever happens between you and Paige, remember, her reconstruction has to come first.”
Deep inside Cade lay the urge to disagree, yet he knew his fellow Ranger was right. Their work took precedence. When had he lost sight of that?
The answer was easy. The instant he’d let himself care too much. He’d tried to turn away from Paige, to resist her, but circumstances had kept conspiring to draw them together until his heart was so involved in her life he had no choice.
Although he’d tried, over and over, to convince himself the change was merely the result of their current case, he knew better. He was deeply, irrevocably in love with her. There had been times, such as the instance when he’d come to her rescue beside the highway, he’d actually thought she was beginning to return his growing affection. They were certainly getting along better in many ways.
Yet she was still holding a part of herself back, still refusing to open up to him the way he thought she should if she truly was interested in an emotional commitment with him.
Cade supposed she’d come around in her own time. The trouble was, as soon as she completed this job for the Rangers, he’d be out of excuses to remain at her side. Once that happened, he didn’t know how he was going to be able to just walk away without knowing her mind-set. Not only would he be constantly worried about her, it would practically kill him if he ever learned she’d fallen in love with someone else in his absence.
The thought alone was enough to make him feel as if a pile of rocks the size of the entire Texas panhandle was sitting smack-dab in the middle of his stomach—never mind the twist the notion was giving to his heart.
Paige knew she was making a nuisance of herself but she couldn’t help it. The lab in San Antonio was so primitive in contrast to the equipment she’d had in Austin it was driving her crazy.
She’d been satisfied by her observations so far, although she still intended to make precise measurements of the reproduction later to check for accuracy. Beyond that, there was little she could do other than pace or lean over the system that was painstakingly building the copy out of powder, minute layer by minute layer.
Finally, she decided she’d be of more use to herself and to everyone else if she didn’t cause a headache by concentrating too hard. Excusing herself—much to the others’ obvious relief—she ventured out to see what Cade was up to.
The Ranger had his back propped against a tree, legs folded, and was concentrating on the screen of his laptop.
Paige saw him look up, smile and close the lid on the computer. She inclined her head toward it. “Hey, don’t stop working on my account.”
“I was just surfing the web. Got all my reports done and emailed already.”
“Good for you.”
When he patted the ground beside him she plopped onto the grass and began massaging her stiff neck muscles until Max interrupted by trying to climb into her lap.
“Down, boy. Sit,” Cade ordered firmly.
To Paige’s astonishment, the dog stepped back politely and obeyed. “Wow, I’m impressed. I guess you guys have bonded, huh?”
“Guess so. Is the lab work finished?”
“No. I just needed a break. Standing there while that carriage runs back and forth is like watching paint dry.”
“A little boring?”
“You could say that.”
“How much longer will it be?”
“I don’t know. I’m guessing—hoping—only an hour or so more.”
“Okay. Then we’ll wait, unless you’re starving. I was going to suggest we go grab a bite to eat before we star
t back for Austin.”
“I liked that little Mom and Pop place where we had breakfast this morning,” Paige said. “It felt safe.”
“The food was good, too.”
“I agree.” Exercising her neck she leaned her head back, then began making slow circles and shrugging her shoulders.
“Turn around,” Cade said.
Guessing why and choosing not to ask in case he might change his mind, Paige scooted sideways slightly and lifted her long hair.
The moment Cade’s fingers began to gently tighten on the knotted neck muscles beneath her jacket, she sighed. “Right there. Now a little to the left. Mmmm.”
“You’re so tense I don’t know how you can stand it,” he commented, continuing the massage. “Are you always this tied up?”
“Not all the time. I do have my moments, though. Especially when I’m involved in this kind of work and we have a deadline.”
“That’s not exactly true,” Cade said.
“It is for me. I always operate under a tight, self-imposed schedule even if I haven’t been given a real one. Every day a victim remains unidentified is one more day their family has to wonder.”
“You understand that very well, don’t you?”
She scowled and turned to look at him. “Why would you think that?”
“Maybe because of what happened to your sister when you were ten years old.”
Wishing that he wasn’t looking at her with such clear empathy, she bristled. “How much do you already know?”
“Enough. My dad was a State Trooper at the time of the kidnapping, and I was able to look up some additional details.” He cleared his throat. “Dad was one of the men assigned to search for your little sister. Being a teenager, I didn’t pay attention to most of his cases but the more I think about it, the more I remember how upset he was that they weren’t able to make any headway.”
“So was I.”
“Of course you were. I saw my dad fly into a rage and throw things when he got so frustrated over their failure. That was rare for him. He was usually even-tempered and kept his cool, no matter what. But not back then.”
Face of Danger Page 11
