Texas Prey

by Barb Han

  Didn’t Brody prefer to do things his way, like keeping his shoes inside the door and not cleaning up the mud right away when it rained? He knew how to take care of himself, how to cook. Weren’t those things important to him? He didn’t have to explain where he was on a Friday night or defend having an extra beer while he watched the game.

  After serving in the military, he’d wanted nothing more than to come home and be part of the community again. He figured he needed to get his bearings first before he tried to build onto his life.

  Someday he planned to find the right woman and make their relationship permanent. Kids didn’t seem like the worst idea at some point. He didn’t care if he had boys or girls so long as they were healthy. Of course, if he had a daughter, he’d want her to look just like Rebecca.

  Brody sighed sharply, ignoring the pain in his chest, and booted up his laptop, sipping his fresh brew.

  Assessing how far he’d come should make him feel a sense of gratification. The house was comfortable and nice. He had land. His work rehabilitating horses was important and made a difference. He had enough money to be happy but not so much it was all he cared about.

  So, why did he suddenly feel there was a gaping hole in his life?

  A still-sleepy Rebecca shuffled into the room. “I can’t believe I conked out.”

  “Come sit down. I’ll make you a cup of coffee.” He’d had time to reach out to a friend in the military about Randy the other morning and had been hoping to hear back. There was no response, which wasn’t surprising. It had only been a day. Give it time, Fields.

  He’d enlisted Dylan’s help, as well. Brody would ask for an update when he saw his friend later. Patience racked right up there with second chances. Brody didn’t care for either.

  “Do we have time?” she asked, stretching. She looked sexy as hell standing in his living room.

  “It’ll only take a sec.” He moved to the kitchen, popped a pod into the coffeemaker and returned a minute later with a fresh cup. “Here you go.”

  She thanked him with a kiss and a smile. “How’s your head?”

  “Better.” He motioned for her to join him at the table.

  “This coffee is fantastic.” She was sitting on the edge of the seat, looking nervous.

  Did she regret sleeping with him? He almost laughed out loud. That would be a new one. Wasn’t he always the one keeping one foot out the door in every relationship since her? High school crushes hardly counted. Maybe he’d held everyone at a safe distance since his mother had ditched him. Brody hadn’t had a horrible childhood. He and his father had been close, two bachelors under the same roof. His father had worked long hours to dig them out of the hole created by his mother.

  Brody shoved those thoughts aside as he rose. “I’m going to hop in the shower before we leave. Care to join me?”

  The smirk on Rebecca’s lips was sexy as hell as she took his hand. “I’d love to, Mr. Fields.”

  After making love again, Brody dressed, thinking twice wasn’t nearly enough. Could this, whatever this was, morph into something more permanent? He couldn’t go there yet. What he could manage was enjoying what they had for today.

  And he didn’t have a whole lot of time to consider much of anything else considering time ticked away on finding Thomas Kramer. Brody’s internet search had turned up unlucky. Then again, he hadn’t expected to find Kramer easily. This guy had avoided capture for fifteen years. He traveled with a festival that was on the road forty-five weeks out of the year and could live anywhere.

  Dawson texted that he was already at the festival with Ryan looking for Lester, and that Dylan was coming with Maribel. Said that Dylan had some news for Rebecca that he wanted to deliver in person. Brody hoped he knew what that meant. He wanted to keep a smile on her beautiful face.

  “Think we have time to swing by and see my mother on our way? I spoke to her nurse earlier and Mother’s having a good day. She had a great visit with Chelsea and Kevin this morning and they promised to stay in touch. They left their information with Mother. I guess having company did wonders for her,” Rebecca said, entering the room. She’d dressed in a light blue tank top, jeans and sandals.

  “It’s on the way to the festival grounds, so that’s not a problem.” He withheld the information about Dylan’s news. No sense getting excited about it before they knew what it was. Dawson had been tight-lipped so far.

  “I’m ready if you are.”

  He nodded as her ringtone sounded in her purse. She retrieved her phone and checked the screen. “It’s my dad. Do you mind if I take this?”

  “Not at all.” Brody smiled. From all he’d known, Mr. Hughes was a good guy. He deserved to know his daughter.

  “Hi, Dad,” she said into the phone, moving to sit on the couch in the next room. “I’m good. Thank you for calling.” A beat of silence passed. “I’d love to come see you and the boys.” Another hesitation. “Next Sunday? Barbecue?” She glanced toward Brody.

  “Good idea,” he whispered, just loud enough for her to hear.

  “Would you mind if I brought someone?” Her eyes flashed toward Brody again. “Good. See you at six. Sure, I’ll bring a swimsuit.”

  There was a moment of silence followed by, “I know I haven’t said this in far too long. I love you, Dad.”

  She closed the phone and turned to Brody. “What are you doing next weekend?”

  “Taking you to a barbecue.” If she needed him there to ease her way back into her father’s life, Brody didn’t mind helping out. It was the right thing to do and he felt good about encouraging the reunion. Not everyone had a relationship with a parent worth holding on to. If someone did, they needed to grab hold with both hands and hang on for the ride. Those first steps toward the starting gate were often the hardest to take. “For what it’s worth, I’m proud of you.”

  “You probably don’t want to hear this from me, Brody.” She glanced down to the floor and then back up at him. “I think you’re a great man.”

  His heart skipped a beat because he thought she was going to say something else, the three words he wasn’t ready to hear. Because when this was over, he had every intention of walking away.

  * * *

  REBECCA WAS HAPPY she didn’t have to coax Brody to go inside with her to see her mother. Panic had engulfed Rebecca when they’d gone to her room only to find it empty. Turned out, her mother was in the recreation room playing a game of chess with another patient, looking pleased she’d made a friend.

  They’d cut their visit short, promising to return the following day. Her mother had made Brody vow he’d return soon, too. Then she’d thanked him for looking after her daughter so well.

  Since the festival was a short drive, Rebecca didn’t argue when Brody made a move to drive again.

  Neither said much on the ride over. Tensions rose the closer they got. Brody parked near Main Street and then texted the others to let them know he and Rebecca were there. It didn’t take long to find Ryan and Dawson.

  “We found our friend, Lester, from earlier,” Dawson said. “He said Thomas Kramer was part of the break-down crew. Or at least he had been until last year when they’d found him peeking through windows of the workers’ RVs.”

  Rebecca couldn’t help but think Kramer would have to be strong to do that job.

  A text came from Dylan saying he was delayed with Maribel and would join them as soon as he could.

  “Another reason their guard has been so high?” Brody asked.

  “Exactly. Lester was up-front with us, but we both got the impression he was uncomfortable talking about one of his own,” Ryan added.

  “If they fired him last year, why come back? Why follow them here?” Brody asked, taking Rebecca’s hand.

  She wondered if the sudden urge to keep her close by came with knowing Kramer could be right next to them and they wouldn’t know it. “Good question,” Ryan said.

  Dawson nodded. “I told Dylan I’d stick around the midway area. I’ll keep watch. You g
uys should check the perimeter and see if he’s hanging around, watching for another target.”

  Brody agreed.

  Rebecca looked around, remembering the timing of Chelsea and Kevin’s son’s disappearance. “I wonder if they suspected him of the Sunnyvale kidnapping and that’s why they beefed up their own security. It had happened on the last day of the festival last year.”

  Brody nodded. “There have been reports of him showing up in other places, but our guy says he hasn’t seen Kramer,” Dawson said.

  “I ran a search of abductions of seven-year-old boys in the area and there haven’t been many in the past fifteen years,” Brody said.

  “Maybe those are the only ones here.” Rebecca didn’t want to think about the truth in front of her. If Kramer had been the one to take Shane and he was still hurting boys, then it stood to reason that Shane was dead.

  Chapter Fourteen

  “I keep wondering why he’d come back. He had to know he’d be figured out eventually,” Rebecca said as she, Ryan and Brody walked the perimeter of the festival while Dawson waited on the midway.

  Brody didn’t like the answers he came up with. “It’s been a long time in between abductions here. Plus, he’s bold because he’s done a great job of hiding his activities so far. He knows this area, the woods. He’s been able to slip under the radar all these years. But his time is up. We know who he is. He’s going down and it’s only a matter of time before we find him.”

  She paused, releasing a heavy breath. “Do you think it’s possible that Shane’s still...”

  “I do. And you have to believe it, too.” He didn’t want to tell her what he thought Dylan’s news would be just in case he was wrong. Brody and Ryan exchanged knowing glances.

  Brody checked the surroundings. They were stopped near a farm road toward the back of the festival grounds. There were no residential developments for a good two miles on either side of them. He only had one bar on his phone.

  Ryan pointed to a fresh trail that had been cut through the brush. “Someone’s been here. Could be teenagers looking for a party spot, or...” His gaze bounced from Rebecca to Brody.

  Teens were known for searching out good places to build a bonfire and drink near the county line. And this had all the right markings for it.

  “Except this trail has been trimmed and they don’t normally use anything sharp,” Brody pointed out, examining the marks.

  “This might be another wild-goose chase, but it’s worth looking into,” Ryan said.

  “Let’s check it out. We can notify the sheriff if it’s worth his time. I’m sure his office has been inundated with leads since the sketch hit the air.”

  Ryan nodded. “True.”

  Rebecca, on the other hand, remained perfectly still. Her face had gone pale. Brody didn’t like having her along, but he didn’t figure she’d let him go without her. He linked their fingers and took a step forward.

  She followed until they moved into the tree line. She stopped, refusing to budge, except to grip his hand like death.

  “Hold on a second, Ryan.” Concerned, Brody turned his full attention to her. “What is it, Rebecca?”

  She stood frozen for a long moment. “Do you smell that?”

  “What?”

  Ryan moved to Brody’s side.

  “I know that smell.” Fear widened her eyes; the color drained from her face, and her fingers were icy cold.

  “What is it, Rebecca?”

  “Apple tobacco.” Her moment of hesitation dissolved like salt in boiling water. Her gaze narrowed and her lips thinned as determination replaced fear. She stalked toward the woods.

  Brody and Ryan kept close beside her, flanking her, as the sun kissed the treetops. She needed space and Brody intended to give it to her. Enough to work out her anger, but not so much as to leave her exposed.

  Rage burned through Brody with each forward step. Even though the light was beginning to fade, he saw a small building positioned in the trees ahead coming into focus.

  Rebecca had to have seen it, too. She didn’t stop charging ahead. In fact, she increased her pace. Not a good idea. He couldn’t let her be the first one to see what was inside that place.

  Everything inside Brody wanted to stop her, to protect her from what he feared would come next. They could be walking up on a body, even Jason’s from last year.

  That there was no stench in the air was the only positive sign this might not go south.

  He squeezed Rebecca’s hand for support and exchanged a look with Ryan. She seemed to understand the need to move slowly and quietly, just in case Thomas Kramer was inside. Or watching from somewhere in the woods, setting another trap.

  Brody would’ve liked time to gather intel before storming into the building, set a perimeter.

  Instead, he signaled for the others to stop and listen.

  There was no noise coming from the broken-down old shed.

  A chill raced up Brody’s back as he surveyed the area. The trees were thick enough to conceal the building, which was large enough to house a few people and supplies. “Hold position while I try to get a visual.”

  Rebecca and Ryan nodded.

  This was exactly the kind of location Thomas Kramer would use. An abandoned shed in the woods that had been long forgotten. Unfortunately, there were far too many places like this in and around Collier County.

  The suburban sprawl spreading from Dallas had not reached this place. And that was a large part of the reason Brody had returned. The other incentive had been to stay close to his father.

  A little voice said he came back to be close to Rebecca, but he shut that down.

  That same irritating voice said he came back because he still had feelings for her.

  Was there any possibility that was true?

  No.

  Did he feel something when Rebecca was around? Yes.

  Love?

  Brody shoved the word down deep as he moved stealthily through the woods. Loyalty was better.

  The shed door had a place for an outside lock, which meant the original owner most likely had kept small farming equipment inside at some point. Brody inched closer without so much as snapping a twig. He didn’t want to give away his location should Kramer be inside. Surprise was the best advantage and Brody had a lump on the back of his head to prove it.

  There was no lock. Either the place was clean or they were about to walk into a trap.

  Brody’s need to protect Rebecca overrode his rational mind, because his first thought was to breach the building alone. No way did he want her within five feet of that shed. He circled back to her and Ryan.

  “You sure you want to do this?” he asked.

  She nodded. “Did you find anything?”

  “There’s no lock on the door. We shouldn’t have any trouble getting inside.” He hesitated. “I do want to remind you this could be a setup. Or you might end up seeing something you can’t erase from your mind. I’d prefer to go first.”

  “I thought about that,” she said ominously.

  “And you still want to go in with me?” He looked her straight in the eyes. Any fear, any hesitation, and he’d go on his own. “Ryan can stay here with you.”

  Her head was already shaking, and Brody noticed that her body was, too.

  “I can’t live my life afraid anymore,” she said.

  As much as he wanted to stop her, to talk some reasoning into her for staying back, he couldn’t. He understood her need to face her fears. Hell, he’d done the same thing. When his Humvee had been hit by an RPG, he’d volunteered for the next mission just so he’d have a chance to climb back in one and drive down that same street. He knew if he didn’t, he might as well go home. In his eyes, being useless to the men who depended on him would be far worse than dying.

  Brody linked his fingers with Rebecca’s and led her toward what could be her worst nightmare. If she was ready to face her past, could they think about starting things up again? The thought caught him off guard. Did he want
another chance with Rebecca?

  Up to now, he’d convinced himself that he’d accepted this assignment for unselfish reasons, for her. Had he done it for himself all along?

  Not ready to process that information, he tucked it away and moved to the door. He’d give her one last chance to reconsider. “Ready?”

  * * *

  BRODY AND RYAN moved like a well-rehearsed team, Ryan against Brody’s back, insuring no one could surprise them from any angle. The two barely needed words between them to know what to do, their connection was so strong.

  It wasn’t so long ago that she and Brody had shared the same unspoken communication link. Had the years changed him or was he holding back with her because she’d hurt him? She’d felt the sparks between them, they’d made love, and she wondered if that could grow into anything more.

  And yet, she knew that wasn’t possible.

  Good relationships were based on trust and communication. Without trust, good communication was impossible.

  And above all, Brody valued loyalty.

  She stood in front of the shed, her body trembling, and she wondered if it had anything to do with Brody as much as her fear. Yes, she was scared of seeing what was on the other side of that door. But the determined part of her kicked in and all she could see were Chelsea and Kevin’s faces, their pain. The same expression had haunted her mother for so long.

  Rebecca knew firsthand how devastating not knowing could be. Shane’s disappearance, the years spent searching for him, had branded her. The situation had become worse when her father decided it was time to give up and move on. He’d said he didn’t want to live in the past any longer. The same hadn’t been true for her mother. She’d sworn she wouldn’t rest until she found her son alive or brought his body home. On some level, she must’ve seen her husband’s willingness to put the past behind them as a betrayal to their son, to her. Whatever love had existed between them had fractured. Her mother’s relentless dedication to putting up new signs year after year had worn her father down even after their split. He’d said her activity was a slap in the face. He’d cry and say he was sorry that he couldn’t bring their son back.