Cowboy Delirium

by Joanna Wayne

  JAIME SLIPPED HER HAND inside Rio’s as they took the elevator back down to the ground floor. Thankfully, the CIA not only took care of removing Poncho’s body, they also took over the search for the deadly chemical as well.

  Jaime was convinced they wouldn’t find it. Despite all the arguments as to why Buerto and the canister wouldn’t be on Langston’s plane tonight, she was still convinced that both would be there.

  And she would see this through. In fact she relished the opportunity to bring Buerto down. Even if she hadn’t, the need to ensure that the RKO was removed from dangerous hands was crucial. If she backed out now and the canister wasn’t recovered in time to save lives, she’d carry the burden of that to her grave.

  She listened as Zach and Rio exchanged the details of their calls. Langston was to have the plane ready to take off at dusk. He’d get a call giving him further directions. If the kidnappers even suspected the Collingsworths had called in any type of law enforcement, they would never see Jaime again.

  As for Jaime and Rio, the orders would come later.

  But the only one of her three original kidnappers still alive was Rio and he was on her side. The threat came from Buerto and the cartel. She’d put her faith in Rio over them any day.

  Zach laid a hand on Jaime’s shoulder. “You can ride back to the ranch with me.”

  “I’m sorry, Zach, but I can’t. Nothing’s changed except that Poncho is dead. I’m going through with this. I have no choice.”

  “You have a choice.”

  “Not one my conscience will let me make.”

  Zach exhaled sharply. “I knew you were going to say that. You can’t blame me for trying. But if we’re going to play along with these lunatics, we need to work out the details with our brothers. Why don’t we meet at Jack’s Bluff for lunch?”

  “Works for me,” Rio said. “I want Cutter included.”

  “Of course. He can land the helicopter near the house. The Cessna is already on the property, fueled and ready for takeoff.”

  “I like meeting at the ranch,” Jaime said, “but what about Mom?”

  Zach’s lips drew into tight lines. His eyes narrowed. “What about her?”

  “I know you didn’t tell her I’d been kidnapped. If you had, you’d have let me talk to her when I asked. It’s okay. I’m glad you didn’t put that kind of stress on her, but how will you explain our all being out there today?”

  He massaged a spot on his right temple. “We didn’t tell her. She heard it from Buerto right after you were kidnapped.”

  “Then I don’t understand why you wouldn’t let me talk to her.”

  “I didn’t want to tell you this while you were being held captive, but she suffered a mild heart attack when she heard you’d been kidnapped.”

  Jaime stifled a cry. She felt as if the world had just come crashing down on her all over again. “How is she?”

  “Recovering in the Woodlands Regional Hospital. She’s been moved into a private room.”

  “I want to see her. I’ll only stay a few minutes, but I have to let her know that I’m okay.”

  “Be careful how much you say. All she knows is that you were kidnapped for a ransom. She heard that from Buerto and as far as she knows he’s still on our side. You can’t tell her more,” Zach warned. “Dr. Gathrite says she has to avoid stress.”

  “I won’t upset her, but I have to see her.” She turned to Rio. “You and Cutter take the helicopter. I’ll ride to the ranch with Zach. The hospital is practically on the way.”

  “If you go with Zach, I go with Zach,” Rio said. His tone left no room for argument. Not that she wanted to argue the point. He was a major element in the glue that was holding her together through all of this.

  As Zach looked from Rio to Jaime, his expression changed. No doubt he realized their relationship had moved beyond the protection business.

  “You two take my truck,” he suggested. “I’ll fly back with Cutter.”

  “We’ll be there by noon,” Jaime said. “Tell Juanita I can’t wait for some of her homemade tortillas.”

  It was a lie. She had zero appetite. Learning of her mother’s heart attack had sent her optimism plunging, as if realizing that her mom could reach the breaking point jeopardized her own ability to handle stress.

  Not that she’d even consider backing out of her commitment. Adrenaline junkies seldom did, especially not when reaching the goal was totally worth the risk.

  But even an adrenaline junkie needed to dress for the occasion.

  “Two quick stops after we drop them off at the helipad,” she whispered to Rio as they walked to the truck.

  He shot her a speculative glance. “Tell me the first one is not for you to change into a different color of sequined shoes.”

  “Of course not. I’m thinking red boots with metal studs this time.”

  RIO WAS CONCENTRATING MORE on the predicament and considerably less on shoes when he reached the security gate of Jaime’s exclusive complex. But he didn’t mind stopping here.

  Every SEAL he’d known had his own way of psyching himself up and releasing tension before a mission. Rio’s favorite was spending time by himself. He’d been known to wander off with a six pack and not come back for hours.

  If Jaime’s way of coping was accessorizing, fine with him. He was so into her now, she’d have to ask to paint his toenails red or put a bow in his hair before he’d balk.

  He’d always thought that if he fell for a woman again it would be someone quiet and reserved like Gabrielle had been. But the truth was he wasn’t the same man he had been back then. If Gabrielle had lived, she would have changed, as well. That was life.

  That didn’t mean he would start believing in happy-ever-after. He was too smart for that. But he’d given up fighting the way he felt about Jaime. It was a fight he couldn’t win.

  “A quick shower and some fresh clothes and I’ll be ready to go in a jiff,” she said. “You can grab a beer and relax if you want.”

  “Are you sure you don’t need me to wash your back?”

  “The quick stop would turn into an hour of afternoon delight if you did.”

  And they didn’t have time for that. He doubted he could even satisfy her with tonight’s activity hanging over him.

  She scooted out of the truck, walked to the garage and punched in the code. The door opened slowly. The garage was empty.

  “That lying, cheating, murdering, thieving, rotten, no-good…”

  He was by her side by the time she ran out of adjectives.

  “Buerto stole my car.” She threw up her hands. “And my Harley. I’ll kill him.”

  If a change of shoes wasn’t enough to relieve her pent-up tension, that outburst of fury had surely done the trick.

  He pulled his gun. “Stay behind me until I’m sure the burglars aren’t still inside.”

  “Not ‘the burglars,’ Rio. Buerto. He’s behind this. He knows the gate code and I’m sure he watched me and memorized the garage and alarm code.”

  He wouldn’t put anything past Buerto, but he didn’t see the cartel bothering with home burglary and car theft in the middle of far more pressing matters.

  For once, Jaime let him take the lead in making sure the uninvited guest was gone, but he could practically feel her seething rage as they walked from room to room. When he gave the all clear, she exploded again.

  “Buerto wouldn’t have known which art to strip off my walls if I hadn’t told him they were originals. And he just scooped up all my jewelry—the costume and the costlier pieces. Thank goodness I keep my grandmother’s locket in a safe deposit box. The heartless cad would have taken that, too.”

  He let her vent without attempting to stop her. It was transferred reaction. He’d seen it in the service many times. Men stayed calm and steady under enemy fire only to go crazy when someone bumped into them later and spilled their beer.

  “At least he left my clothes,” Jaime said. She pulled a pair of white jeans and a lilac-and-white plai
d western shirt from the closet and laid them on her bed. “In honor of lunch at the ranch.”

  She stripped and dropped her clothes in a pile. Hot bursts of desire attacked him without warning. He fought them until he heard the water running in the shower.

  Then he stripped as well, leaving his jeans lying next to hers. He swallowed hard. Even their jeans looked cozy together. This would have to be quick, but…

  He pulled back the shower curtain and joined her. “I heard that they hate dirty backs at Jack’s Bluff ranch.”

  JAIME STEPPED INTO HER mother’s hospital room and her heart plunged to her toes. She considered her mother a tower of strength, but she looked pale and frail in the gray hospital gown. Even the soft clicking of the heart monitor beside her bed sounded ominous to Jaime.

  She stepped closer. “Mom.”

  Lenora jerked and opened her eyes. “Jaime?”

  She’d made a question of her name as if she didn’t believe her eyes.

  “It’s me.” Jaime hurried over and kissed her mother on the cheek. “I came as soon as I could.”

  “Did they hurt you? Did they—”

  “No,” Jaime answered quickly before her mother had time to stress. “I wasn’t hurt at all. In fact one of the kidnappers took very good care of me.”

  Lenora smiled. “I’m not surprised. You win everyone’s heart. I told your brothers to pay whatever ransom they asked. I told them not to play tough but just to get you home.”

  “They must have listened to you. Here I am.”

  “I prayed for you constantly, but I was so afraid.”

  “I knew you’d be praying. That gave me courage.”

  Lenora squeezed her hand, but the usual strength was missing from her grasp. “I wish it hadn’t happened, Jaime, but the frightening memories will dim with time. We’ll help with that. Maybe you and I will take a trip to Greece together. You love Greece.”

  Jaime rested a hand on her mother’s cheek. “I do love Greece, but I’m fine. Really, I am.”

  “Are you sure? You seem different.”

  “I am different. A person can learn a lot about themselves in three days. I learned about what is really important to me. Remember when you told me that having a man of your own to love is the greatest gift in life?”

  “You said you didn’t need a man.”

  “I might have been wrong about that.”

  “When it’s time, you’ll get your man.”

  Jaime wished she could be sure of that. “I have to go, Mom, but I’ll be back soon. I promise.”

  Tears wet Lenora’s eyes. “I love you, Jaime.”

  “I know, Mom. I love you, too.”

  She kissed her mother’s cheek and hurried out the door.

  When the time came, she couldn’t wait to introduce her mother to Rio.

  CUTTER HAD TOLD RIO that Jack’s Bluff ranch was the second largest spread in Texas. Given that and knowing that they owned Collingsworth Oil, Rio had expected their home to be much grander than the homey, sprawling house where they’d just finished the best lunch he’d had in ages, maybe in a lifetime.

  The whole family was there except for Jaime’s mother and her twin nephews, David and Derrick, who were in school. Apparently they’d been through a kidnapping nightmare themselves not so long ago and their parents had decided not to tell them about Jaime until she was out of danger. With luck, that would be before bedtime tonight.

  One of the women whose name he couldn’t remember started clearing the table. Zach’s wife jumped up to help. Rio figured learning all the names of the people around the table today would be a monumental task. And for what? Chances were good Jaime would grow tired of him before he met the challenge.

  “Guess we should get down to business,” Zach said. “Let’s retire to the back porch.”

  The women all stopped talking and dead silence took hold of the room. Rio realized then that the lighthearted timbre of the meal had all been feigned for Jaime’s benefit. He could see the fear and confusion in the women’s faces.

  Her sister, Becky, finally broke the silence. She stood and threw her wadded napkin back to the table. “Okay, if no one else will say anything, I will. You’re home, Jaime. You’re safe. It’s crazy for you to walk back into danger and drag our husbands in with you.”

  Jaime stood her ground. “It might sound crazy but hundreds, maybe thousands, of lives will be lost if that canister of RKO is not found and confiscated by the authorities. I have to do what I can to help. If you were in my shoes, you’d do the same.”

  “This isn’t the Jaime I’ve known all my life, and I don’t like the new you.” Becky pushed her chair out of the way and stormed out of the room.

  “I hope you all don’t feel that way,” Jaime said, “but even if you do, I have to follow my conscience.”

  The remaining women all murmured their support, but it was still evident that they feared for Jaime.

  Rio was sure he’d never met a family quite like the Collingsworths. He could definitely see where Jaime got her grit.

  “Yep, my little sister is growing up,” Bart said as he led the way to the porch.

  “I’ll make more coffee,” Juanita called as they left the kitchen.

  The area where they settled was more of a screened-in room than a porch. There were comfortable rockers and sofas clustered between tables and potted plants. A basket of toddler toys sat next to one of the sofas. Open shelves filled with books, DVDs and video games hugged the inside wall. The roomy porch, like the house, shouted family.

  Rio took a seat on the end of the sofa. Jaime walked over and perched on the arm next to him. “The man with the best plan wins,” she said. “Ready, set, go.” She yanked one of the boy’s cap pistols from her waistband and pulled the trigger.

  Leave it to Jaime to start what would have been a very strained meeting with a bang.

  An hour and much discussion later, they agreed on the working plan that Rio had suggested at the start. Matt and Bart would be armed and hidden from sight inside the small plane’s larger-than-average baggage compartment. Langston would pilot and Zach would copilot.

  Cutter and Becky’s husband, Nick, would be in the helicopter, staying out of sight unless more firepower was needed. If all went well, they would be there to fly Jaime home.

  Everyone would have night vision goggles. Cutter had brought some extras along with him today and Zach could pick up some from the sheriff’s department.

  Rio would arrive with Jaime and make sure she was never in any danger.

  Once Buerto or some other cartel member boarded the plane, hopefully carrying the RKO, Zach would observe his every move and give the signal to Bart and Matt when he saw an opportune time to take the man down.

  They were sure the man would be armed and wouldn’t hesitate to shoot anyone except the pilot, especially if they were already in the air.

  Under no circumstances was Jaime to get on the plane.

  It sounded workable, but Rio knew from his years in the military that there was no such thing as a perfect plan.

  But he had a good team. The Collingsworth brothers were not only smart, they had a gutsiness about them that impressed the hell out of Rio. Nick was lucky to have married into a family like this. Any man would be.

  And he had no business going there, Rio warned himself. He’d been with Jaime three days. Three days of heat in the danger zone did not equate with forever.

  His personal cell phone rang. He checked the caller ID. “It’s Dan Camp with the CIA. I’ll need to take this now.” He let hope swell that they’d located the canister as he walked out and onto the back steps to take the call in private.

  “What’s up, Dan?”

  “I have an ID on the man you knew as Poncho. His real name is Diego Gomez. And get this. His girlfriend is a tech at the Culpert-Greene Research Center in Dallas.”

  “Have you questioned her yet?”

  “A Dallas agent is on his way to pick her up and bring her in for questioning now.”
>
  “I’d love to be there for that.”

  “You have a busy night. Are you sure you don’t want help with that?”

  “I’ve got a full team.”

  “But can you count on them the way you could our agents?”

  “I do believe I can. You know, Dan, I’d really like a chance to question Poncho’s girlfriend.”

  “I know it comes as a surprise to you former SEALs, but our regular agents can handle questioning, Rio.”

  “I’m not doubting you, but I’d still like a crack at her myself, even by phone. I know Poncho. I might be able to get under her skin a bit more than your guys.”

  “I’ll see how it works out. If we don’t get what we need, we’ll consider giving you a call.”

  “I appreciate that.”

  A goodbye later, Rio stepped back onto the screened porch. The guys were all hoping for better news than he could give them.

  Rio and Jaime spent the next fifteen minutes at the helicopter saying goodbye. Becky was the only one in the family who failed to show for a hug. Jaime didn’t say it, but Rio could tell it bothered her. She kept looking back at the house.

  Just as they started to hop on the chopper, Rio heard Becky calling Jaime’s name. Jaime smiled and waved before they both took off running and met halfway in a bear hug.

  “They are as opposite as night and day,” Becky’s husband said, “but when push comes to shove, they always end up together.”

  And then they were off. After tonight his career as a kidnapper would be over. His stint in the cartel would be over as well.

  Jaime reached over and gave him a quick hug. “You survived the family,” she yelled over the racket of the chopper. “Now let’s go get that canister. This could be fun.”

  He had created a monster.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Rio thanked the unidentified caller and went to look for Jaime. He found her sitting on the steps of the cabin porch eating an orange she’d brought from the ranch.

  “Good news,” he said.

  “Does that mean Buerto called?”