RODEO MAN

by Margaret Watson

  Her smile faded as she thought about Ron. The ranch manager perceived her as a threat to Grady, and probably as a threat to his own job. Although she admired his loyalty to his friend, she was becoming more afraid he was the person stalking her. He must think that if he could frighten her into leaving town, both Grady and his job would be safe.

  As she backed her truck away from the other trucks parked in the driveway, she wondered if she should go to the sheriff with her suspicions. After only a moment she decided against it. She'd already told Devlin that she suspected Ron, and what more did she have to add than one angry conversation? There was nothing concrete she could add.

  But remembering the anger on Ron's face, she promised herself she'd be more vigilant. She wasn't sure Ron would actually try to hurt her, but she wasn't going to take any chances.

  * * *

  It was already dark that evening when she finally unlocked the door to her house and shooed Cassie inside. They had stayed at Laura's for dinner, and then Becca had talked to her friend while Cassie played with Jenny and Todd and some of the neighborhood kids. Becca hadn't had a chance to talk to Laura in a while, and the evening had crept away from them.

  "Go on upstairs and take a bath, honey," she called to Cassie. "I'll be up in a few minutes to tuck you in."

  "Okay, Mom."

  Becca listened to her daughter clatter up the stairs and smiled. Cassie must be tired from playing outdoors with all the kids in Laura's neighborhood, or she wouldn't have given in so easily on the bath. She'd be asleep in under five minutes when her head finally hit the pillow.

  Propping her briefcase on the floor, Becca dropped the pile of mail on the table. A sheet of white on the counter caught her eye, and she walked over to see what it was.

  "I know where you were this evening. You should have been home when I came to visit. Make sure you're here next time, or I'm going to be mad. You don't want to make me mad."

  The note was unsigned. Backing slowly away from the counter, unable to take her eyes off the note, Becca swallowed to keep the bile from rising in her throat. Something dropped on the floor above her, and fear swept over her.

  Cassie.

  She raced for the stairs. "Oh, God, let her be safe. Please don't let there be anyone up there."

  * * *

  Chapter 13

  «^»

  "Cassie?" she called. "Honey, are you all right?"

  "I'm fine, Mom," her daughter called, but her voice was muffled. Becca raced into her room.

  Cassie was pulling her shirt over her head. There was no one else in the room, and Becca took a deep breath.

  "What's wrong, Mom?"

  "I heard something fall up here and wanted to make sure you were okay." Becca knew her voice was shaking.

  Cassie rolled her eyes. "It was my boots, Mom. They always make a clunk when they fall on the floor. You know that."

  It took every ounce of self-control that Becca possessed to force herself to smile. "I guess you're just getting stronger, then. Have you been taking extra vitamins behind my back?"

  Cassie giggled, then ran toward the bathroom. Becca had to control her urge to yell at her to wait. Quickly checking Cassie's room and seeing for herself there were no intruders there, she followed her daughter into the bathroom. There was no place for anyone to hide in the tiny room, so she waited until Cassie was in the tub before hurrying out to check the other rooms on the second floor.

  While Cassie was still taking her bath, she went down to the phone and called the sheriff's office. It seemed like only moments later when Devlin McAllister knocked on the door.

  "Thank you for getting here so quickly, Sheriff," she said as she stepped aside for him to enter.

  Devlin nodded as he raked the kitchen with his gaze. "What's going on, Doc?"

  Becca pointed to the note on the counter. "That was lying there when Cassie and I got home tonight. It certainly wasn't there when I left the house this morning."

  "Did you touch it?" he asked sharply.

  She shook her head. "No. Cassie was upstairs. As soon as I saw it, I ran up there to make sure she was all right. Then I called you."

  Devlin grabbed his hand radio and spoke a few terse words into it. Then he looked over at her. "I'm going to search the house, see if there's any other signs of an intruder. Then I want you to think about where you and Cassie could stay tonight."

  She felt herself pale. "We have to leave?"

  "I think you'd be stupid not to leave. Whoever left this note obviously knows how to get into your house. And there's an implied threat here. We'll drive by your house frequently to keep an eye on things, but we can't spare a deputy to sit in your kitchen all night. I'll feel better, and you'll be safer, if you're out of the house for a few days."

  "I don't want to disrupt Cassie." She said the first thing that came to mind.

  "What are your alternatives?" he asked.

  "I don't know." Becca licked her lips and stared out the window. The backyard was dark, the bushes and flowers black shapes shrouded in mystery. She knew Devlin was right, but her mind felt frozen. Every time she glanced at the white sheet of paper on the counter, the fear rose up in her again. It robbed her of her ability to think clearly, to plan.

  "I suppose I could go over to Laura's," she said finally. Devlin shook his head. "I'm not sure that would be a good idea. Chances are your stalker knows that's where Cassie is during the day." He hesitated, then added, "Do you want to put Laura and her kids at risk, too?"

  "Of course not!" she cried. "But I don't know where else to go."

  "Why don't I call Grady Farrell?" Devlin watched her, his eyes impossible to read. "He probably has plenty of room out at the ranch. And you seem to be pretty certain that he's not the one stalking you."

  "I can't do that." She stared at the sheriff, horrified by the idea. "I can't impose on him that way."

  "You told me you grew up with him. Wouldn't he be willing to help you out?"

  "That's not the point," she muttered. "And besides, I suspect that his ranch manager is the one stalking me. Why would I want to move closer to him?"

  "He doesn't live in the house with Farrell, does he?"

  "I don't think so."

  "Have you mentioned your suspicions to Farrell?"

  "Yes, I did."

  "And what did he say?"

  "He refuses to even consider the idea. He said he's known Ron for too long and knows he couldn't do anything like that'

  "But you still suspect him?"

  She nodded. Her stomach twisted into a knot as she remembered their conversation earlier in the day. "Ron and I had a nasty little run-in at the ranch today. He basically told me to stay away from Grady." She felt her face turning red. "He implied that I was after Grady, trying to trap him."

  "Is that true?" Devlin's face was completely impassive as he waited for her to answer.

  She looked past him out the window again, struggling to frame her reply. "Grady and I have a complicated past," she finally said. "And Ron knows some of it. I suppose I can understand why he would think that was true, but it's not. I'm not trying to trap Grady into anything." Sadness swept over her. "It's just the opposite, actually."

  Devlin didn't say a word, but she could hear his pen scratching on the small notebook he carried. When he snapped the book closed, she looked over at him again.

  "I don't want you to be alone. I'm not crazy about sending you to the ranch, but I can't think of a better alternative. There's always someone around on a ranch. Farrell knows you're concerned about Perkins, and I'm sure he'd keep an eye on him and keep him away from you. Why don't you call him?"

  She wasn't sure if she could do that. "There must be some other place I can go."

  He shrugged. "You can stay with one of your other friends in town, someone you don't know as well as Laura. Or you can go over to a motel in St. George, but it might make it a long commute for you to work every day. It's up to you."

  She couldn't afford to stay in a motel, and sh
e suspected that Devlin knew it. Just like he knew that she wouldn't impose on any of her other friends in Cameron, especially if it looked like she might be putting them in danger, too. After a few minutes she said grudgingly, "I guess I'll see if Grady will let us stay."

  As Devlin watched her, his eyes softened. "You go check on Cassie. I'll give Farrell a call."

  She wanted to tell the sheriff that she'd call herself, that she was capable of asking Grady for a favor, but she turned and headed up the stairs. Devlin apparently knew it would be hard for her to call Grady, and he was willing to do it for her. And right now she was too tired and too upset to be strong.

  Cassie was asleep. She hadn't even bothered to pull the quilt back, but was lying sprawled on top of it, clutching her favorite stuffed animal to her chest. Becca closed her eyes, thankful that at least the ugliness hadn't managed to touch her child yet. But it would soon, she reminded herself. She'd have to explain to Cassie why they were staying out at the ranch.

  When she walked back into the kitchen, Ben Jackson was in the kitchen with Devlin and they were talking in low voices. They stopped as soon as she appeared in the door.

  "Farrell's on his way," Devlin said. "Ben here is helping me look for evidence."

  The letter was sealed in a plastic bag that sat on the kitchen table. Black dust covered the counters and the table, and there were black smears on the back door. "Fingerprint dust," Ben said, when he noticed her looking at it. "We'll have to get prints from you and Cassie, and everyone who's been in the house recently. When we eliminate your prints, we can see if there are any who don't belong here."

  "It sounds like it'll take a while," Becca said, dismayed.

  "It might. Or we might get lucky right away," Devlin said as he continued to search for fingerprints. "Either way, I think you'll be safe with Farrell."

  Becca couldn't help herself. "I thought you suspected him."

  Devlin turned to look at her. "You don't. And I checked him out. Thoroughly. I don't consider him a suspect."

  She blew out a breath. But before she could answer, she heard the sound of a truck door slamming in the driveway. Moments later someone was pounding on the kitchen door.

  "Becca?" Grady's voice came through clearly. "Are you all right?"

  Ignoring the black dust that covered the doorknob, she threw open the door. "Grady," she said, but couldn't say another word when he grabbed her and crushed her against his chest. His heart galloped beneath her ear.

  "God, Becca, are you all right? Are you hurt?" The pressure of his arms tightened as he spoke.

  "I'm fine," she said, surprised to find her voice shaky. She burrowed more deeply into his arms. "There was just the note."

  "How about Cassie? Is she all right?"

  "She's sound asleep. She doesn't even know there's anything wrong."

  His grip on her loosened, and he stepped back. His eyes were fierce and hard. "Get some things together. You and Cassie aren't staying here for another minute. I want you out at the ranch where I can keep an eye on you."

  She deliberately looked away, as if she could stop herself from thinking about how safe she'd felt when he held her and longing for the comfort of his embrace again.

  "Go get some things and leave, Doc," Devlin said quietly. Without needing any further prodding, she turned and headed back up the stairs. "I'll just be a minute," she said, giving in.

  Ten minutes later she was back downstairs, carrying suitcases for her and Cassie. Grady took them silently, then walked out to stash them in his truck. She turned to Devlin. "I guess you'll know where to find me," she said.

  He nodded. "I'll talk to you tomorrow. Ben and I will make sure the house is locked before we leave." He hesitated, then added, "You'll be safe with Farrell while we catch this guy, Doc. He's all right."

  That was high praise, coming from Devlin McAllister. Her eyes prickled with sudden tears, and she turned away as she heard Grady coming up the driveway. "I've got to get Cassie," she said, her voice thick as she fled up the stairs.

  Easing her daughter into her arms, she grabbed a stuffed animal and then headed back toward the kitchen. Grady jumped forward. "Let me take her."

  She shook her head. "She's fine. I'll carry her to the truck."

  Cassie sighed and stirred in her arms as they stepped outside into the cool night air, but she didn't wake up. Sliding into the truck, Becca fastened her daughter's seat belt, then climbed into the truck next to her. Grady started the engine and backed out of her driveway. In moments her house was out of sight.

  "I'm glad you had the sheriff call me," he said quietly.

  "I didn't want to," she said, staring out the windshield at the dark road in front of them. "I thought it would be hard for you, having us living with you. And unfair. I don't want you to think I'm trying to corner you into a decision."

  "This has nothing to do with us," he said roughly, and she heard the anger bubbling beneath his calm exterior. "This is for your safety, and Cassie's. Why would you even hesitate to call me?"

  "What if it turns out that the stalker is Ron? Will you still be glad that I called?"

  "Ron has nothing to do with this. I'm sure of it. But if he did, do you think I would take his side rather than protect you and Cassie? What kind of man do you think I am?"

  Becca leaned back against the truck and closed her eyes. "I think you're a good man, Grady. An honorable one. Of course I trust you to protect us, no matter who the stalker is."

  She sighed and turned to face him. "That's not why I didn't want to call you. There's too much baggage between us. How are you going to feel, having us in your house twenty-four hours a day? And it could be for a while. There's no guarantee that Devlin will catch this guy right away. You've been honest with me about not knowing how you feel about having a child. I don't want you to think that I'm trying to force your hand."

  "I like Cassie," he said roughly. "It won't be a hardship, having her around."

  She knew she should be grateful for that. It was a beginning, but his words curled around her heart like a fist. She wanted so much more for her daughter, and so much more for Grady. "We won't get in your way," she said carefully.

  "Hell, you won't have a chance to get in my way. Did you think I was going to leave you alone to take care of yourselves? What good would staying in my house be if I wasn't there to keep an eye on things?"

  "You can't be with us twenty-four hours a day," she protested, but her heart began pounding at the prospect of spending so much time with him.

  "I know you have your job and you'll be gone most of the day. But once you're back on the ranch, you're stuck with me. You and Cassie both. Anyone who tries to get to either of you is going to have to go through me."

  "Thank you, Grady," she said quietly, watching the lights of the Flying W get closer and closer. She turned to look at him over Cassie's dark head. "That makes me feel better. I'll feel safe with you."

  For a moment his eyes met hers in the semidarkness of the cab of the truck. His gaze was steady, and she saw the promise in the depths of his eyes. "I won't let anyone hurt you or Cassie."

  "I know."

  And she did. Whatever Grady's faults, he would protect both of them with his life.

  He stopped the truck at the front door of the house, sliding out to hurry around to her side of the truck. "Let me carry her upstairs, then I'll come back for your luggage."

  She wanted to feel the weight of her daughter in her own arms, to reassure herself that Cassie was safe, but she nodded her head. Maybe Grady needed that reassurance himself, even though he might not be willing to admit it yet. So she followed behind him up the stairs of the ranch house, into a room tucked under the gables.

  "Pull back the quilt," he whispered, and she angled over to the bed standing by the window.

  Once Cassie was tucked into the bed, she stood watching her daughter sleep while Grady hurried back down the stairs to bring in their luggage. How would Cassie feel about staying at the ranch for a while? She woul
d love it, Becca admitted to herself. She would think she'd landed in heaven.

  It felt too right to be in Grady's house, watching their daughter sleep, and Becca forced herself to remember all that still stood between her and Grady. She had to make sure that Cassie didn't get too attached to the ranch or to Grady. It wouldn't be fair to either of them.

  Grady reappeared at the door, holding the two suitcases. "Why don't you stay in the room right across the hall from her? That way you'll be able to hear her if she wakes up."

  She walked out of Cassie's room, into the light of the hall, and looked up at Grady. "Thank you," she said. "That's very thoughtful of you."

  He dropped the suitcases on the floor and reached for her, folding her into his arms. "It'll be okay, Becca," he murmured into her hair. "I know this is hard for you, but they'll catch this guy and you can go back to your normal life."

  The problem was, she didn't want to go back to her normal life. Her normal life was one that didn't include Grady. She told herself to let him go, to back away, but all she could do was hold on more tightly.

  It was just the stress of the evening, she told herself. All the fear and worry. But she wound her arms around him and burrowed closer.

  "Becca." Grady's breath moved through her hair like a caress. God, Becca, I was so scared. My truck wouldn't go fast enough to get to you."

  "I've never had a place that was just mine. I loved that house," she said, and felt tears overflow onto her face. "I felt so safe there. Now I'll never feel safe in my house again."

  "Not for a while," he agreed, and he shifted her in his arms so she was looking up at him. "But they'll catch the bastard, and things will get better. No matter how bad things are, they always get better."

  She saw the pain, deep in his eyes, and knew he was speaking from personal experience. "I know." She drew in a deep, trembling breath and tried to control her tears. "I do know that. Thank you for understanding how I feel, Grady. And thank you for giving us a refuge."