“Hoping to help me accept the ranch, my mother told me that your people came from outer space. I laughed at her and thought she was going a little crazy.”
The nurse pushed back her chair and came across the room to check the tubes and Cassie’s arm. “It’s going well,” she said. “It’s going to take a little over an hour. Before you leave I’ll give you a snack and something to drink. Then after about fifteen minutes or so, if your blood pressure and everything is all right, you can go home. Don’t do anything strenuous or any heavy lifting for five hours, and drink plenty of fluids over the next twenty-four to forty-eight hours. Got that?”
“Yes, thank you.”
“And if she doesn’t get it, I do. I’ll watch her,” Nick said.
“Good. Let me know if you need me.” She returned to her desk, picked up the phone and made a call.
Nick took up their conversation as though she hadn’t been there. “Do you still think the idea is crazy?”
“It still seems improbable in my head, but I’ve seen how much stronger you all are with your amazing strength and your five senses. I know each of you have special skills shared by a smaller group, like Lang’s ability to assess the health of the animals and his uncanny work with wood. He’s apparently able to calculate in his head and with his eyes what needs to be done.”
“True, like Ethan driving cars. He has the same special gifts in a different way.”
“And your special talent?”
“Loving you.”
Cassie laughed. “You don’t want to tell me.”
“Someday I will.” He sat back in his chair. “Close your eyes and relax.”
She did. Nick ran his fingers lightly up and down her arm. She smiled at him without opening her eyes.
* * * *
He studied her beautiful face. His love for her filled his heart. How could he tell her the truth? Would she be frightened if she knew his skill was as a warrior? His superior eyesight saw the slightest movement in the dark. When he honed in on his target, he never missed. He heard the slightest breath of wind, and he could snap a man’s neck in a second. They sent him out on first reconnaissance. He took out the guards and led their men inside. It had taken perseverance to learn to control his temper completely, to never use his abilities except on missions.
When he had left the ranch, he pretended he had no unusual skills. But when Lang had written about a mission where they’d lost a warrior because of a guard they hadn’t seen, guilt had swamped Nick.
Few had his particular combination of skills. Through the centuries, those traits had been watered down. Nick had found it a relief to return home and finally accept all of himself.
“What’s wrong?” Cassie opened her eyes and stared at him. Her forehead was wrinkled. “I sensed you were worried about something.”
“I’m fine, sweetheart. Are you all right?”
“Yes, but I’m tired of lying here.”
Ellen had made several checks back and forth into the room. Now, she breezed in again. “I’m letting you out of prison,” she teased. First, she and the nurse checked everything before the nurse removed the needle.
“Hold this pad firmly against her arm,” the nurse instructed Nick. Coming around to the other side, she checked Cassie’s blood pressure and wrote it down for Ellen to see.
“You’ve done fine,” the nurse said. “I have your snack right here, and some juice for you to drink.”
In less than twenty minutes they were stepping outside into the fresh air. Nick kept his arm protectively around her waist.
“You can let go,” Cassie told him. “I’m not feeling weak.”
“I like my arm around you. Let me baby you for a little while.”
He put her in his truck and went around to the driver’s side to get in. “Where to?”
“Lang’s working at my shop. Let’s go see what he’s done.”
As they drove along, Nick wondered if he dared ask her to move in with them. Although he hadn’t found anything on the Internet about Cassie to concern him, he still had a sense of unrest that wouldn’t go away. He wanted her where they knew she’d be safe.
Nick glanced in her direction. “Cassie, I have a suggestion.” She looked across at him. “Well, first a question. How soon can you and Rae have the new house done?”
“If you’re in a hurry, Rae and I might be able to take off one day and go to the city. We can find everything there and get it shipped to your house within a few days.”
“Good. Do that. Hire any help you need.”
“I’ll check with Rae to see how soon we can arrange a day to go together.”
“When the house is done, we’d like you to come live with us. See how it goes. Maybe then you can make up your mind to marry us.” He caught the look of surprise on her face. “What do you think?”
“Like a trial marriage?”
“Sort of.”
“That goes both ways. You and Lang might decide you’ve made a mistake and want to end the relationship.”
“I suppose, but that won’t happen. Life is full of risks, Cassie. I never saw you as a coward.” He grinned inwardly when he noted her body stiffened. He’d known that would get her ire up.
“I’m not. If you can handle it, I can.”
Before she could retract her words, Nick sealed the deal. “Good. We’ll expect the house finished and you to move in within the next few weeks.”
“That’s not much time.”
He heard the wobble in her voice. She’d like to retract her agreement, but he wasn’t having it. “You can do it,” he challenged her.
“Humph, you tricked me.”
Nick laughed. “You fell for it, sweetheart.”
Cassie crossed her arms and stared out the window. They rode the rest of the way into town in total silence. When he parked, she jumped out before he could come around and open her door.
She stomped angrily around the truck. He stood back and admired her sweet derriere. Then he followed her inside the shop.
Lang glanced around from his work. Nick nodded his head at Lang. They’d talked last night about getting her into their house with them.
“All finished with the blood donation?” Lang asked.
“Yes.” Cassie snapped the words. “I’m tired. I’ll let Cindy go and close up the shop. You must be ready to stop for the day.”
“I thought I’d get Nick to help. I think we can just about finish tonight.”
“Whatever.” Cassie walked into the other room.
Nick heard her talking to Cindy and heard Cindy leave shortly afterwards. Cassie went out the back to go to her apartment.
“She wasn’t happy with our idea?”
“She agreed. Then wanted to retract her agreement, but I had her boxed in, you might say. She’s irritated that I fooled her. I think she’s scared she’ll like it, and we won’t. I tried to reassure her.” Nick raked his fingers through his hair. “She’s as changeable as a chameleon. Damn frustrating at times.”
“When is she to move in?”
“In a few weeks. She and Rae will get the house furnished, and then we’ll all move in together.”
“Sounds good. I want her away from here as soon as possible.”
“You didn’t recognize the man you saw watching this place?”
“No. But I have the feeling he’s someone I’ve seen before. I’d bet on it.”
“You think one of us should stay the night? I doubt she’ll want us around at this point.”
“One of us will guard the place. She doesn’t need to know. I’ll stay. Cassie will be watching for your truck to drive off.”
“You have to be at work early tomorrow.”
“I’ll ask the sheriff to have a guy keep his eye on the place after I go.”
“Fine, but tomorrow night’s mine.” Nick went out to his truck. He glanced up at Cassie’s windows. There was still light in her living room and bedroom. She had the curtains pulled, but he detected the slight movement at the edge an
d knew she was watching for him to drive away.
He smiled and saluted her, then swung into the cab of his truck and left.
* * * *
How did he see her? She’d barely touched the curtain. He’d tricked her. It was her fault. Why had she jumped at the idea so readily? Because I want to be with them? At least I need to be honest with myself. I do love them. I want them to make love to me. I want to live in the house they built for me. There, I’ve admitted it.
She had to meet with Peter and make him understand it was completely over between them, forever. If he persisted in hounding her, she’d talk with the police. He wasn’t going to take that well. Maybe he’d hit her. She’d go straight to the authorities. They could see the bruises and hopefully believe her this time. Peter had to be stopped before he seriously hurt some other woman. Tomorrow, she’d contact him.
Chapter Nine
Cassie woke determined to follow through with her plan. The sun was shining bright, and soon she’d need to go downstairs to open her shop. She was behind on working on her jewelry designs.
Peter’s number was still in her address book. She’d put her hand on the phone when someone knocked. She really needed to get a peephole made in that door. But it didn’t matter. She’d be moving to the ranch soon. A thrill of excitement flashed inside her. She was surprised that she was beginning to like the idea a lot.
The knock on the door became more insistent. “All right, already.” Leaving the chain lock on, she opened the door. “Peter? I was going to call you. What a surprise.” She blinked her eyes for a second, wondering if she was imagining things.
“I’ve felt bad about the way we ended things. I wanted to talk and clear the air. Nick is a friend. I’d hate for him to think less of me.”
Cassie was puzzled by his words and the sincere look on his face. This was the man she met and had started to date.
“Can we talk?” he asked.
“Let me get my purse. We can have coffee at Sally’s.” Cassie shut the door and went to her bedroom. When she returned, Peter was standing in her living room. She glanced at her door. Her chain lock had been cut. Dumb, she had left the door unlocked.
Peter laughed seeing her expression. “You didn’t think I was sincere? I thought you were a better opponent than this. What a disappointment. We do need to talk, dear Cassie, but not in a public place. Sit!”
She recognized the expression in his face and eyes. He was working himself up into a frenzy. Fear sizzled along her nerve endings. Mentally shaking herself, she stiffened. She would not let him see she was frightened.
“Get out.”
“Now, Cassie, you don’t want me to get angry, do you?”
His evil smile made her want to hit him.
He circled the small room and noticed her address book lying open. “You’ve played right into my hands.”
Horrified, Cassie saw him pull a gun from his jacket. “My gun. You stole it.”
“It was so easy. Everyone running around putting out the fire I started and they blamed on some innocent teenagers.”
His harsh laugh grated on her nerves. “It was you?”
Peter bowed. “I take all the credit.”
Anger had her lunging at him. Her nails scraped the side of his face, and she shoved him back. His wild laughter made him look demented. “We might have planned this together, dear Cassie.” He turned the gun and shot himself in the shoulder.
Stunned, Cassie jumped back, expecting him to shoot her next.
Instead, he shoved the gun in her hands and ran out the door screaming, “She shot me. Cassie tried to kill me.” Near the bottom of the steps, he tumbled to the ground.
Cassie stood at the top of the stairs staring horrified as the policeman looked up at her still holding the gun. The next few hours were like being in a terrifying dream. The first police on the scene called for backup. Her gun was taken for evidence, and she was handcuffed and driven to the jail.
They’d loaded Peter into an ambulance. Between his moaning and groaning he’d managed to tell them repeatedly that she had called and asked him to meet her. When he came, she had shot him.
As they had loaded her into the police car, Cassie remembered her address book open on her table to his name and number. He’d planned his revenge well.
“Sorry to have to do this, Miss Venitia. But the evidence backs up his claim.” The sheriff put her in a cell and took off the handcuffs. “I’ll call Lang and Nick to let them know what’s going on.”
He walked out of the cell and locked the entry. “Lang had just left about thirty minutes earlier. He’d been guarding your building all night. That’s why I had police close by. He asked us to keep an eye on you and your place.”
Sheriff Willis shook his head. “They’re not going to be happy with what I have to tell them.” He left the holding area and shut the connecting door.
All alone, Cassie sank onto the cot and put her head in her hands. What was she going to do? How could she ever prove her innocence? She started shaking and wasn’t able to stop.
I’m so cold and scared. Will Lang and Nick believe me? If they can’t or won’t help me, I may go to prison.
* * * *
Lang had grabbed a quick cup of coffee and was headed to the barn for his horse, when his cell rang. “She’s what? You must be mistaken.” He listened to the sheriff’s explanation.
“I don’t believe it.”
“I don’t either, Lang,” Sheriff Willis said. “But the evidence fits all that he said.”
“Can I bond her out?”
“If Judge Ricter will see her this morning, we might be able to arrange it. She’ll be your responsibility.”
“I accept that. Nick and I will be with her at all times.”
“All right. I’ll call the judge and see what he says.”
Lang ran back to the house where Nick was getting ready for work. He found Nick in the kitchen.
“Cassie has been arrested for shooting Peter Illingsworth. I knew the man I saw looked familiar. It was him. I realized it as soon as I heard the name.”
“How did it happen? And what makes them think she shot him?”
Lang repeated the news Sheriff Willis gave him. “It doesn’t look good.”
“You said it was her gun?”
“Yeah. Why?”
“She looked for it the other day. It wasn’t in the drawer where she kept it. We figured the kids that set the fire might have hung around and stole the gun during all the confusion. Nick shook his head. “Damn. I knew that didn’t seem right. Nothing of value was taken. But then we got busy going to the ranch for her blood donation and it slipped our minds. Damn, damn, it’s my fault. We ought to have reported the gun stolen immediately.”
“You can tell the judge. The sheriff is trying to arrange a hearing this morning. I’ll call Daren and Mitch and tell them where we’ll be. Let’s get to town.”
Sheriff Willis put his phone down as Lang and Nick came in the door. “That was the judge. The hearing’s in an hour. I guess you want to see Cassie?”
“We sure do,” Nick said.
They found her huddled on the cot, pale and shaky. The sheriff opened the door, and Nick and Lang rushed inside. Nick picked her up in his arms and sat on the cot with her.
Lang brushed his hand across her head. “It’s all right, honey. We’re going to get you out of here.”
“Short of shooting our way out like the old-time cowboys did, I don’t see much hope.” She gave them a wry smile.
“Nothing so drastic,” Nick said. “But we would, if necessary. Sheriff Willis has arranged a hearing for you in less than an hour. We’ll bond you out, but you have to accept we’ll be responsible for you.”
“I guess I can bear it.” She tried to joke again.
“That’s our girl. Keep up your spirits.”
“Tell us exactly what happened.” Lang sat down beside her and Nick. “We need to know everything you’ve been holding back.”
Cassie wipe
d her eyes and told them of her relationship with Peter, her fears, and how she’d hoped to free herself of him before getting too involved with them.
“Why the hell didn’t you say something to us?” Nick snapped, then took a deep breath. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to sound angry. To be honest, I am a little. That night at the restaurant was the time to tell me.”
Cassie looked at him directly. “He was your friend. Would you have believed me? No one else had, not the police or his family.”
“Enough recriminations. We go from here,” Lang said. He didn’t intend to let Nick and her get into whys. It was unproductive.
“I had my address book open to his name to call him. I was going to ask for a meeting in a public place and try to get him to understand and quit stalking and threatening me.” She glanced at Lang. “I know, it was a stupid idea.”
“Not stupid. You were hoping he’d be a reasonable man, but he hadn’t been before, and he would never have been with you. My guess is he ended his other relationships on his terms. When you left, you became his obsession.”
Nick nodded in agreement. “And he is good at hiding his real persona. I’ve met him a number of times with different women. I’d never have suspected him capable of this.” He took Cassie’s hand and kissed it. “I want to think I’d have believed you. But I’m not certain I would have, at least not immediately.”
“Sheriff Willis said you guarded my place and me last night,” Cassie said, turning to Lang.
“I saw a man looking at the shop the other morning. I couldn’t place him, but something about his intense scrutiny concerned me. Nick and I decided we’d take turns each night covering your place and the sheriff agreed to up his patrols in your area during the day.”
“He must have seen you leave and taken his chance,” Nick said.
“Yeah, guess none of us were smart enough to stop his insane plan.”
Cassie bowed her head. “No one will believe he shot himself and set this all up. He has money, the best lawyers—” Cassie jumped out of Nick’s arms and stood. “I know a very good lawyer. My friend in New Mexico. I’ll give you his name. If anyone can find a way to help us, he can. Give me something to write on.”
Cameron, Paige - Commando Cowboys Reclaim Their Love [Wyoming Warriors 4] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Polyromance) Page 9
