Then she saw him. He forcefully walked a man from behind the building toward the police officers. Ron and Phil followed, another man in custody between them. As Travis came closer, she saw blood on him.
Rena squirmed and pushed until she finally slid out from under Sara. "I'm all right, but Travis is hurt. Let me go!" She slipped beneath Sara's grasp and jumped up to run toward Travis.
Sara helped Katie to her feet and they followed.
Travis handed the man off to the local police and held his hand out to stop Rena. "Don't get close to him. I'm okay, and I'll be with you in a minute." He spoke to the officers and waited while they patted down the two men, put them in handcuffs, and read them their rights. Then he handed over a weapon, as did Ron. As the two men were taken away, Ron went with them, but Phil remained with Travis. They noted firemen, EMS responders, and city officials working their way through the crowds, making sure no one had been injured. The mayor was doing his best to soothe everyone and get them to return to the food.
Finally, Travis turned and walked to where an anxious Rena waited with Katie and Sara.
"You're bleeding," she told him and frantically reached for his shirt to find the wound.
Travis grabbed her shoulders. "No, it was that guy's blood. When I tackled him, he cut his hand. He grabbed my shirt. I'm okay." Then he pulled her into a tight hug. "We're both okay."
He wouldn't tell her how they almost missed the shooter by chasing the second man, who acted as a decoy. Travis spied the shooter setting up to take Rena out at the lower corner of the building, raced across the back, and tackled him just as he fired. The gun jerked upward enough to avoid hitting anyone. But the man proved strong and hard to subdue. He managed to wildly squeeze off two more rounds before Travis smashed his hand against a tree root, forcing him to drop the gun. Even then, the man fought until Travis hit him hard and knocked him almost unconscious.
The sheriff walked up to speak with Travis and Rena stepped away to sit on a nearby bench – her knees none too steady.
She sent a deeply heartfelt and silent thank you heavenward. She loved Travis...deeply, desperately, and like no other. Later tonight, she would talk with him about plans for the future – after she invited him to her room. There would be no more waiting, no more pulling away, and no more refusing to face how she felt.
He had good news when he rejoined her. "It's truly Independence Day for you and Katie. Sticky Joe and Juarez and several of their men have been arrested. Your uncle agreed to testify against them in exchange for certain considerations. Those guys we grabbed were the same ones who tried to run you down on the street. They are giving up everything and everyone they know to work a deal."
Travis pulled her up and led her toward the food area once more. "I don't know about you, but I'm starved. Catching bad guys always makes me hungry. Sit here; I'll fix you a plate." He left her with the other two agents and Katie.
Rena only half listened to their conversation. There was too much on her mind. This vacation and meeting Travis woke Rena up to several things. She was tired of living in a city she didn't particularly like, doing a dead-end job she no longer felt good about. The future could change in an instant; she was being left behind. And while loved ones could disappear or turn on her in the blink of an eye, love could show up the same way.
Travis sent her a wide smile and a wink from the back of the line, and she just knew he felt the same. They still had things to work out, but she knew in her heart she and Travis were going to make it.
Quite a summer vacation, with the best yet to come, she decided.
The End
Lovely Lottie's Treasure
Chapter One
Seattle, Washington ~ October 2015
Dani woke instantly when a heavy weight settled across her. Giving a violent shove she tried to sit up, but strong hands held her down while vice-like thighs clamped down on each side of her own. Then a strong hand covered her mouth to keep her from screaming. She couldn't see a blasted thing in the darkened room. Dani pushed away the immediate feeling of utter terror and focused on her self-defense training.
Going totally limp, she pretended to faint and waited for her attacker to loosen his grip.
"That won't work with me," a male voice whispered. "I know all the tricks."
We'll see about that. Dani made raspy, gasping noises as if she couldn't breathe. The hand covering her mouth loosened ever so slightly. Dani chomped down on the thick part of his palm just below his thumb.
The man jerked free with a harshly whispered curse and loosened his grip for one second too long.
Dani hastily pulled up one leg and hit him between the thighs. Another muttered curse told her she scored, but not as hard as she would like or he would be rolling around unable to breathe. Still, she tried to take advantage of the momentary distraction. She stiffened her body and twisted to the right to throw him off.
"Be still! You're going to make me hurt you," he growled as he lost his balance and almost fell off the bed, sliding on the satiny bedspread. He wheezed as her now free arm elbowed him sharply in the ribs. She followed with a quick, sharp blow straight up to his chin with the heel of her palm, causing him to see stars. Thank goodness, she's out of breath and too busy fighting to scream the place down.
Dani slithered out of his grasp, scrambled from under the covers, and slid to the floor. Jumping to her feet, she raced for the door. Unlocking it slowed her down, but she worked feverishly and threw it open. She almost made it out.
A hard muscled arm snaked around her waist and lifted her off her feet as he reached out with his other arm to shove the door closed.
Kicking wildly, she banged his legs with her heels and heard him grunt several times. She tried to slam her head back into his nose, but he avoided that move. Her heels began to sting and unwanted tears welled in her eyes from pain and fear as she fought for her freedom. She curved her hands into claws then reached back over her shoulder to gouge at his eyes.
He held her face against the closed door and leaned heavily against her back, using his weight to immobilize her. "I said stop – you're gonna' get hurt. Now cut – it – out!" A harsh grunt punctuated each word while he worked to hold onto her and she continued to resist.
Dani's strength gave out. She couldn't prevent him grasping her wrists to stretch her arms up the door. He pressed roughly against her, the substantial mass of his body holding her in place. Gasping for each breath, she felt every masculine curve and muscle against her back and hips. Once again, absolute terror crept into her mind. Frantically, she worked at getting enough air into her lungs to scream.
"Don't even think about it," he whispered in her ear. This girl proved to be quite a challenge and he'd actually enjoyed himself, except for the bruises she inflicted. Who would have thought it? He reined in his amusement. He often brought down tough men who didn't fight this hard.
"What – what are you – going to do with me?" she managed to gasp.
"I don't know. Let me think," he mused, nosing against the side of her neck. "What do you have in mind?" he asked with a slight chuckle. She smelled like fresh flowers and felt soft and womanly. But this woman was his coworker's sister, definitely off limits. He laughed aloud at the irony of the situation.
The moron's laughing at me. Dani couldn't believe this. Anger gave her renewed strength and she began struggling all over again.
"No – wait. Be still." He tightened his grip on her wrists and leaned against her harder, using his thighs to control her legs and prevent her from kicking him again. He carried enough bruises from her already. "Man, you're a firecracker, aren't you?"
"Let me go," Dani panted. "Tell me what you want then get on with it. If you plan to rob me, boy, did you pick the wrong room." Anger replaced most of her fear and what little common sense she usually showed. She just wanted him to do whatever and get out. This was getting old, fast.
"Actually, I came to help you. You're in trouble, and I'm here to keep you safe." His rough jaw sc
raped against the back of her neck when he shifted positions.
"Yeah, right – and I'm the Queen of Sheba," she retorted. Dani felt every line of his body and tried to become one with the door to stay as far away from him as possible.
"Do you doubt everyone's intentions, or is it just me?" he asked huskily. His breath stirred her hair while gently warming her ear. He felt the shiver run down her and smiled slightly, not sure if it was caused by fear or something else.
"Everyone's, especially yours," she retorted quickly and heard him laugh. "Now what do you want…?" she snapped.
Dani grew tired of being smashed against the door as the adrenaline rush ebbed. He hadn't really tried to hurt her, she realized in the semi-coherent part of her brain. But she did get bumped and bruised during the struggle. She hoped he hurt like the devil. If her knee to his groin had carried a little more strength behind it, she could have taken him down.
"If I let go, can we talk like two civilized adults? I really am here to help."
She considered her options and decided he held the upper hand. "Okay, let go," she finally agreed and relaxed her tensed muscles. If he'd planned to kill her, he could have done so already.
Slowly and carefully, he released her then backed away a couple of feet. He balanced his weight on the balls of his feet and remained vigilant in case she tried to escape or started to scream.
Dani peeled herself away from the door, rubbing her wrists while drawing in some much needed air. She reached for the light switch, but he moved to block her.
"No lights. You're being watched. That's why I came in this way. I didn't want them to see me."
"What is going on? Who are you and who do you think is watching me?" she asked. She cautiously put more distance between them. "Is this some kind of stupid Halloween prank of Derek's?"
He allowed her to move away, but kept his eyes on her. "You really don't know what's happening?" He didn't know whether to believe her, and he definitely wasn't into Halloween pranks. "Then what are you doing here?" The emergency call he'd received from Derek made it clear her situation required attention right away.
"I'll answer your questions when you answer mine," she replied as she crossed her arms over her chest in a defiant pose. "I don't know you from Adam's house cat."
Chapter Two
His eyes adjusted to the dim light filtering into the room from an outside parking lot lamp. He could make out the determined look on her face and decided it would probably be quicker to do this her way. "My name is Hunter. I'm an associate of your brother. He called and asked if I could check on you and, if necessary, keep you safe until he completes his current assignment."
"You're Hunter? Why couldn't you have told me Derek sent you? Or better yet, why didn't he call me?" Over the past couple of years her brother, half-brother actually, had talked about this guy like he was James Bond, the Lone Ranger, and Superman all rolled into one.
When his stubble-roughened cheek had grazed her neck and his warm breath feathered her ear, despite being terrified, she'd felt... Don't go there, she hastily ordered herself. "Keep me safe from what, or should I say who, you lunatic?"
"Actually, it's whom. It wouldn't have been nearly as much fun if I'd mentioned Derek right away. I believe you owe me an answer before you get another question," he reminded her. This time he crossed his arms and waited.
She detected a slight accent. A very attractive accent. Maybe Australian? "I don't consider being attacked in my bed fun! And I don't want to play your games. Couldn't you or Derek have picked up a phone instead of – skulking about?" She threw up her hands and turned partially away. "But I forgot who I'm dealing with. My brother never does anything like a normal person." She huffed in disgust.
Before Hunter could respond, she went on, "I don't have a clue what's going on, and I'm here because a friend asked me to come. Satisfied? Can we get back to who is watching me and why?" Patience gone, she felt tired and achy, and wanted to go back to bed – alone. Heaven forbid he should give her a straight answer. Men!
"Come over here," Hunter insisted. He moved to the lined drapes covering the large window.
She followed and stood where he indicated.
He pulled the edge of the drape aside just far enough to glimpse the street below. "See the dark green sedan parked near the corner? The men in it followed you today and they're watching the entrance for you."
Dani saw the dark-colored vehicle, but couldn't tell if it was occupied. "I see it. Suppose you are right, why would they follow me?"
She'd flown into town on the red-eye, expecting to be met by her friend. No one showed at the airport and her friend never answered her phone all day. Figuring Abby was on assignment, Dani took a cab then checked into the hotel, planning to catch up with her later. She shopped for a few necessities, grabbed a meal, and did a little sightseeing. She did nothing suspicious, definitely nothing worthy of attention.
"I assure you, I'm correct. While they followed you, I followed them. They are very interested in your movements and may have someone watching your friend also. Perhaps why she never got in touch is to protect you." Hunter took her arm and tugged her away from the window.
Dani flinched at the contact, but didn't resist. "I want to talk to Derek. What does he think is happening and what business is it of his?" Her half-brother disappeared for weeks at a time, sometimes months, but always seemed to know what was going on with her. Meddling in her business was second nature to him.
"He'll call when he can. You'll have to make do with me, I'm afraid. I will try to help you and your friend. But you have to cooperate with me." Hunter walked into the bathroom and checked it out before flipping on the small light over the vanity. Perhaps a little light would make her more comfortable.
As he caught a look at his face in the mirror, he grimaced. The beard-roughened chin and blood-shot eyes looking back did not inspire confidence. He turned to lean his hip against the counter and waited, hoping she would decide to trust him.
Moving to the bathroom doorway, Dani kept an eye on him, considering what to do and curious to see how he looked – she already knew how he felt. In the light, she could see he was big, bigger than Derek, and definitely looked more dangerous. A man to have on her side in case of trouble, she sensed. Derek must trust Hunter completely to ask him to look after her.
His longish dark hair, mysterious brown eyes, and deeply tanned chiseled features with a small cleft in the chin… She tried to keep her eyes from moving downward, but she needed to see the rest. Just as she suspected, his shirt clung to well-defined pecs, a solid six-pack, and thickly muscled arms. And oh, those thighs in soft faded denim. Mm-hmm – nice. She almost groaned aloud. Why can't I meet a guy like this in the normal way?
"Do you think... I mean..." She licked her dry lips then shifted her gaze back to his eyes. "This probably has to do with Abby rather than me, right? Do you really think she's being watched too?" She couldn't stop her eyes from drifting downward to take another tour of his handsome physique.
"Much safer to assume she is under surveillance until we know otherwise. Why did she ask you here?" Hunter arched one dark eyebrow and tried to hold back a smile as he noted her inspection. Fair is only fair, he decided, then allowed his eyes to travel slowly over her.
Not beautiful in a traditional sense, her heart-shaped face was framed by short, brownish-gold hair in some kind of wispy, pixie cut. Her green eyes, wide and intelligent, tilted up slightly at the corners. But it was her full, sensuous lips, which caught and held the eye while stirring male hormones.
From there, she got better. No half-starved, model's figure for her; she looked curvy, soft, and all woman, designed for a man's hands. With a regretful sigh, he turned his attention back to her words.
"She never explained. Abby can be mysterious and secretive when she's working on a story. She said she needed my help right away. I wasn't doing anything important, so here I am. She never met my flight. I called several times, but all I got was her machine and s
he wasn't answering her cell." Dani crossed her arms again, and then shrugged. "I assumed she was on assignment and would get in touch when she finished. I left several messages for her and I was going by her apartment in the morning, if she doesn't turn up by then."
Dani realized she'd been thoroughly checked out and that this friend of her brother's liked what he saw. She cleared her throat, refused to let his appraisal get to her, and demanded, "Now tell me what you know about this situation and how you got involved."
"Derek called me yesterday morning. He said you suddenly booked a flight to Seattle and there was going to be trouble. I arrived around noon today and tracked you here. When you left, I saw a bloke tailing you. I followed to see him join another man driving the car then they trailed you through town. I stayed close behind them in case they made a move on you, but they seemed content just to watch. They were so intent on you they never spotted me." He scratched his chin and asked, "What kind of help would Abby expect you to provide?"
"I'm good at research and I have a knack for finding lost things, especially old lost things. I would have thought Derek told you—"
"We don't share much personal information with each other," he interrupted to explain. "It's safer for our families. Other than knowing Derek has a sister and a few humorous anecdotes from his childhood involving you and your friend, I don't know much about you." Hunter gave her a predatory look. "But we may have to change that. Now tell me more about the type of things you find."
Dani frowned at him. Eyes widening at his semi-leer, she shifted uncomfortably. "I have this business called Finding Treasure. I help people who are looking for their valuables." At the questioning arch of his brows, she went on, "I've located old stocks and bonds, coins and jewelry, first edition books, a painting or two, and a few historically significant documents over the years. People are usually very grateful, and I get a finder's fee."
Carried Away by Love Page 9
