The Rancher's Return

by Karen Whiddon

  Pushing the thoughts away, he studied her. “We’re going to cut and color your hair,” he announced, wincing inside. “Something matronly.”

  “Even though I’ll be hiding out at your ranch?”

  “Even so. You might have to go to town sometime.”

  “Fine.” She exhaled. “Do you have a plan?”

  “Not yet. But I will.”

  “How long are you thinking this is going to take?” she asked, beginning to look concerned.

  “I don’t know. Since you said he has a bunch of law enforcement people on his payroll, it should just be a matter of seeing who we can trust.”

  “That could take a while.” She sounded glum. He could relate. After all, she’d just gotten out of a prison—of sorts—too.

  “Maybe not. You never know. I don’t want to make mistakes. When we take him down, I want to make sure he doesn’t get off on a technicality.”

  Slowly, she nodded. “No worries, I’ll wear the disguise when I’m out in public. Though I think if I change my haircut and color, I shouldn’t need colored contacts.”

  “Better safe than sorry. I’ll order the contacts online and pay extra to have them overnighted,” he said. “We’ll also find the ugliest, most unflattering clothes we can. That should be a good start.”

  “I...” Swallowing, she appeared hesitant and uncertain.

  “You said you were willing to do whatever it takes,” he reminded her. “If you don’t want to be found, you’re going to have to wear a disguise.”

  After a moment, she sighed. “True. And you’re right. I’ll change my appearance however much is necessary.”

  As for himself, he’d be glad to make her less of a distraction. She’d been in his life for only an hour, and already he found himself wanting her.

  Physically, that is. Nothing more. He’d put that down to the way he’d been living life as a semi-hermit. Most of the women in town wanted nothing to do with an ex-con like him. Not that he cared. He was fine living alone.

  “How long do you think we have before he starts combing the town?”

  “He was passed out when I left.” Jiggling her long and coltish legs, she appeared to vibrate with tension. He hated that he had to tear his eyes away, drawn to her again and again, despite his earlier self-admonishment. “It depends on when he wakes up. I’m hoping he stays out until morning.”

  “That’s a long time, considering it just got dark. How long have you been gone?”

  Her bright blue gaze locked on his. “Not very long. I drove straight here. A few hours, at most. When he wakes up and goes to my room to find me, all hell will break lose.”

  “Good thing we hightailed it out of town, then.”

  “Especially since your house will be the first place he’ll look.”

  Startled, he realized she was right. The history she and his brother had shared made him the obvious choice. “It’s okay. We should be safe.”

  “What about your ranch? If the deed is in your name, it’s a matter of public record. Alex will find it.”

  “Then it’s a good thing it’s not in my name. Since I was in prison when my uncle learned he had terminal lung cancer, he had his lawyer set up a corporation. Just in case I never got out. So there’s no way to trace it to me.”

  Clearly relieved, she smiled again.

  After they passed Fort Worth, she fell asleep, which told him she must have been exhausted. He let her doze, enjoying the time to think.

  Once again, everything in his world had been turned upside down. He wasn’t sure what to make of any of this and had long ago given up on the idea of knowing who really killed his brother. In prison, he’d had plenty of time to wonder. All signs had pointed to Kaitlyn, for so many reasons.

  She’d left Reed in her bed and had gone to Tim. Reed had suspected this, though he hadn’t known for certain. Her claim that she’d planned to break things off with his brother made sense, and if things had gone differently, he’d have been overjoyed. And guilty. Especially since he’d been the one in bed with his own brother’s girlfriend.

  Reed didn’t blame her—he knew it took two to tango. He’d let it go on, even though he’d known better. The lingering looks, the electricity that coursed through him with every accidental touch, the way he’d burned for Kaitlyn, despite knowing he had no right.

  But somehow he’d gone from sleeping with his brother’s girlfriend to being accused of murdering that same brother in cold blood. Kaitlyn had disappeared, despite the fact that she was his only alibi.

  He’d been railroaded, he realized that now. The men who’d arrested and questioned him most likely worked for Alex. The district attorney who had indicted him on no evidence had been in Alex’s pocket, too. The judge definitely had been.

  Reed had spent nearly three years locked away in that horrible place before his lawyer finally filed an appeal and got him a new trial. This time, the judge clearly hadn’t been on Alex’s payroll since Reed was now a free man.

  Though his name had been forever blackened.

  When he’d gotten out and returned home to Anniversary, he’d searched for Kaitlyn, of course. He’d intended to make her tell him why she hadn’t come forward, why she’d let him rot in prison, why, why, why. So many unanswered questions.

  Damn it all to hell. Even though he had to admit her explanation made sense, in a twisted sort of way.

  He had to question how Alex had gotten away with keeping a woman hostage for three years. Then he remembered the guy in Ohio or Indiana who’d kept three women prisoners in his basement for far longer than that. Such a thing definitely was possible, especially for a man with lots of money and influence.

  As he drove, the land became flatter, the trees more sparse and twisted. He’d always liked the beginning of west Texas, because it was hardscrabble and tough.

  The sun sank beneath the horizon, a fiery ball of orange and red, trailing rosy tendrils in its wake. Darkness settled over the land in increments, deeper and more velvety now that they’d left the city lights behind.

  When he left the pavement for the rutted, gravel road that led to his ranch, Kaitlyn woke up. She yawned and stretched while he tried not to notice the way her T-shirt strained against her curves.

  “Are we there yet?”

  “Just about. We’ve got a few more miles on this gravel road and then we go off road and up.”

  “Off road?” She sounded concerned.

  “Yeah. It’s a path, sort of. That’s why I said that fancy car you were driving wouldn’t do well here. This truck can make it, no problem. So could a Jeep or an ATV. That’s about it.”

  Nodding, she squinted into the darkness. “I like that. It makes me feel safe.”

  He grinned. “I enjoy coming out here. I always feel more alive. Like I’m free. I’ve even been thinking of selling my house in Anniversary and moving out here permanently.”

  “Really?” She didn’t sound surprised at all. “I can see that.” Giving him a quizzical look, she appeared to be considering asking him something.

  “Go ahead,” he prompted. “We’ll be spending a fair bit of time together, so you might as well ask whatever it is that’s bothering you.”

  “Okay. I know you said you could work anywhere. Back before all this craziness happened, you were VP at the bank. What do you do now?”

  “The bank didn’t want me back,” he said quietly. “And who could blame them? Not many people are willing to hire a felon, even though my murder conviction was overturned. The ranch brings in a nice income, which I supplement with my own business.”

  “Which is?”

  He found himself hesitating, not sure exactly why. He was proud of what he’d accomplished, and the way his orders had grown so much he’d had to hire a couple of guys to help him out, precutting forms in bulk. “I make custom bird feeders and birdhouses. I sell them from my website.”

  “Really?” The surprised pleasure in her voice washed over him. “That’s amazing. You’ll have to show me the webs
ite later, assuming you have internet way out here.”

  “We do. I purchased mobile Wi-Fi, so I’m never without internet access.” Slowing the truck down, he squinted into the darkness. “Brace yourself. We’re fixing to go off road.”

  There—the fence post with the three boards nailed to it, making a small triangle, with a letter W in the middle. Putting on the brakes, he let his headlights point out the marker. “See that? Pyramid W Ranch.”

  “W for Westbrook?”

  He grinned, pleased. “Yep. Are you ready?”

  At her nod, he turned the truck toward the gap in the fence. “Hang on.” The tires rattled as they crossed the metal crossing guard. “The road’s kind of rutted in places, so get ready to bounce.”

  He’d barely gotten the last word out when they hit the first of many crevices. Once they were over, he turned to glance at her. “Are you all right?”

  “Yes.” One hand gripped the door handle, the other the dashboard in front of her. “My teeth are clattering, but I’ll be fine.”

  “Good. Because we’ve still got a ways to go.”

  By the time they reached the turnoff that wound up the hill to his small ranch house, Kaitlyn appeared weary.

  “We’re almost there,” he told her. “And my driveway is much better, I promise.”

  She nodded. “Great.”

  Finally, they crested the hill and his headlights illuminated the frame building. It was small, but he’d always found it homey, especially since he and Tim had come here often as kids to visit his uncle. He supposed the memories of his childhood here made the ranch feel more like home than anywhere else.

  “Very nice,” Kaitlyn commented. “It looks like you keep it up well. Or do you have a ranch foreman or someone living there while you’re gone?”

  “My ranch foreman has a mobile home on the other side of the property. I try to come out here at least once a month. Sometimes more.”

  She turned and touched his arm, surprising him. “Are you sure no one in town knows about this place?”

  “I have a friend or two,” he replied. “Brock McCauley and his wife Zoe. But they won’t say anything without checking with me first.”

  “Zoe?” Kaitlyn appeared surprised. “Brock and Zoe finally got together?”

  “Yes.” He couldn’t help but smile. “They’re among a handful of people who don’t treat me like a leper, as though serving time tainted me with poison.”

  He knew he sounded bitter but he didn’t care.

  “I’m sorry,” Kaitlyn said, touching him again. He had to force himself not to twist away.

  “Come on.” Killing the engine, he left the headlights on so they could see the front door. “I’ll turn them off once I can get the porch light on.”

  “You should get a motion-sensor light,” she said.

  “I’d thought about that, except then any critter crossing my yard would activate it.”

  “Good point.”

  He got out and crossed around to her side, intending to open her door for her. The manners his mama had taught him ran deep, but Kaitlyn had already gotten out by the time he reached her.

  “Come on,” he said, leading the way to the front door. “I’ve put in one of those locks where you just enter a code.” That said, he punched it in, waiting until the dead bolt had turned before pushing the door open and flicking the light switch to On.

  “Here we go.” He couldn’t keep the pride from his voice. Inside were oak hardwood floors, with matching baseboards. The furniture looked comfortably worn, a sort of cowboy shabby chic.

  “Wow.” She walked around the living room, examining the display of Western art he’d carefully displayed. “Nice.”

  “Thank you.”

  He showed her the guest room, which did double duty as his office, along with the hall bathroom. “It’s only a two-bedroom house. That couch makes out into a bed.”

  She nodded, her expression pensive. “If you don’t mind, I’m going to freshen up and then turn in. It’s been a long day and it’s late. I’m exhausted.”

  “I understand.” He pointed the way to his linen closet, where he kept extra towels as well as linens to make up the sofa sleeper. “If you’re thirsty or get hungry, help yourself to anything in the fridge. I keep it well stocked.”

  Her tired smile underscored her earlier statement. “Thank you.”

  He wasn’t sure how to reply, so he settled on a nod. A moment later, she quietly closed the door, shutting him out.

  Which was good, he told himself, turning to head back to his kitchen. He needed to do some thinking so he could formulate some sort of plan.

  Chapter 3

  Despite the prominent hump in the middle of the sofa bed, Kaitlyn slept deeply. More deeply than she had in a long time. She was free, and she’d finally taken charge of her destiny. If everything worked out, Alex would finally face justice and Reed’s name would be cleared once and for all.

  Sunlight streamed through the blinds covering the window. She jumped up, turned the blinds to open, and peered outside, squinting into the brightness. She couldn’t see much, just a medium-sized, live oak tree.

  Fine. She’d explore the ranch after she’d had a shower and breakfast.

  Reed. Just the thought of him, broad-shouldered and muscular, had her heart skipping a beat. There was a new edginess to him that he didn’t have before, a darkness lurking in his eyes. Oddly enough, this only made him more attractive.

  No, she reminded herself. Reed was part of the past, the past she wanted to forget. As soon as she was free, she planned to make a new future, as far away from Texas as she could get.

  Later, with her hair still damp from the shower, wearing a clean T-shirt and jeans, she emerged from her room, following the tantalizing scent of coffee to the kitchen. Reed sat at the kitchen table, his laptop open before him. He looked up as she entered, and smiled absently.

  His masculine confidence made him beautiful. Mesmerized, she froze. Only when she reminded herself to stop being foolish was she able to move forward. “The coffee smells wonderful.”

  “I hope you like it strong.” He pointed to a cup he’d set out on the counter for her. “There’s some powdered creamer, too, and sugar if you need it.”

  “I do and I do.” She took a deep breath and told herself to relax. Preparing her coffee helped, since the relatively normal act was something she’d had no control over for the past three years. If she got coffee, she’d had to drink it black, and Alex had seemed to delight in making it as bitter as possible.

  Her first sip of Reed’s brew had her humming with pleasure. “It’s good. I like it.”

  Nodding, he barely looked up from his computer.

  She took her mug, crossed over to the table and pulled out the chair across from him, even though this meant she faced the back of his computer. “Are you working on birdhouse orders?”

  He shook his head, still not looking at her. “Not right now. I’m trying to get down some sort of basic plan. I’ve been outlining what we might try. I confess, what you said about Alex having people everywhere is hampering my efforts to plan. It’s not like I can just approach anyone in law enforcement. Especially since, as far as they’ll be concerned, I’m an ex-con.”

  At his words, her insides twisted. “We’ll figure something out.” She waited until he finally looked up and met her gaze before continuing. “I want to thank you for taking a chance and helping me.”

  Staring at her, he didn’t reply at first. When he did, his serious expression told her he meant his words. “Kaitlyn, I’ll do my best to keep you safe. You’ve offered me something I thought I’d never have—the chance to avenge my brother’s murder. For that, I owe you.”

  Relieved, she started to respond, but realized he hadn’t finished, so she took a deep drink of her coffee instead.

  “One thing you need to know,” he told her. “What happened between us before was a mistake, and I’ve spent the past three years regretting it. You were Tim’s girlfriend a
nd we betrayed him.”

  Harsh words, but she deserved them. Dipping her head, she knew she couldn’t tell him how many times she’d tried to break things off with Tim, and how badly Tim had reacted. She’d realized early into the relationship that it wasn’t working, and not just because of Tim’s substance abuse issues. Because all along she’d wanted someone else.

  She’d wanted Reed. From the instant she first laid eyes on him she’d realized she’d chosen the wrong brother. She’d believed they were meant to be together forever. What a foolish, naive woman she’d been.

  She’d paid penance for that indiscretion during her captivity. She’d survived what Alex did to her body, but she knew it would be a long time before she could let anyone touch her that way again. Even Reed. Especially Reed.

  “Go ahead and get settled,” he said.

  “Thank you.” She exhaled, for what felt like the first time in years. “This is very nice.”

  “I’m glad you like it.” Looking satisfied, he snatched his truck keys up off the coffee table. “I’ll be right back. This place is pretty isolated, so I’m going to run into Breckenridge and hit up the Walmart there. Wait here.”

  “I’d like to go with you.”

  “You can’t. I’m sorry, but we haven’t got your disguise yet. We can’t take the chance that you’ll be seen.” He pointed in the direction of the kitchen. “Make yourself at home. There’s plenty to eat and drink, if you’re hungry. I’ll be back as quickly as I can.”

  Defeated, she nodded quickly. She couldn’t fault him for being thorough. Even though the chance of running into one of Alex’s people might be virtually nonexistent out here, as long as a possibility existed, they couldn’t risk it. She’d have to wear a disguise when she wanted to leave, and she would.

  One last quick glance to make sure she understood, and Reed left. He locked the door behind him on the way out. The sound of the dead bolt turning made Kaitlyn tense up again. She was all too familiar with that sound.