Gunslinger

by Angi Morgan

  “You know I’ve been calling in favors to get you back on this case. I understand what it’s like to give your word to someone. I explained that the state’s attorneys felt it best to remove you from Kylie Scott’s protection detail.”

  “Because she trusted me too much? That makes no sense—”

  Parker’s stare made it unpleasant enough that Bryce shut up without finishing. How the man stood taller was one of those mystical practices no one wanted to experience. The air got sucked out of the room somehow and Bryce felt ten years old again.

  Parker put his hands behind his back and met Bryce boot toe to boot toe. “Did I give you the impression you could speak yet, Lieutenant?”

  A question that if answered meant he was in the dog house. Yet by not answering did he look like he didn’t understand? Or maybe he did, but Bryce chose to stand at attention, eyes forward not meeting the major’s.

  “Hacking into the state’s records to find out where your girlfriend—”

  “Miss Scott.”

  “—is being held is against every protocol we have in place. You’ve been suspended for two weeks.”

  “Suspended, sir? But this is my first infraction.”

  “And it’s a severe one, Bryce.”

  “But she’s not being held anywhere at all, sir. They let her go. Didn’t even bother to give her a ride back to Hico this morning.”

  “I know.” The major put his hands on his hips, seeming less stern than seconds before. “We have orders to stay clear of the situation.”

  Realization hit him over the head. Severe discipline allowed Bryce to keep his word. He could help Kylie without officially involving the Rangers. Two weeks without pay was definitely going to make a dent in his budget, but helping her was worth it.

  “Thank you, sir. I guess vacation wouldn’t do?” His commander’s stern look made him follow up with, “I get it. I completely understand, sir.”

  “Since our computer expert will be out of the office for two weeks, I’m going to remind you that your access to our database will remain active. You should refrain from using that access.” He paused. “At least as much as possible. And then there’s the matter of your badge. I think you should have Vivian secure it for you. Damn, I think she’s at lunch.” He looked toward the empty desk of the Company’s secretary. “Just bring it by tomorrow. You understand what I’m saying, Bryce?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Major Josh Parker sat behind his desk and picked up a plain number two pencil. He threaded it through his fingers and began his habitual twirling. Bryce didn’t think he’d been dismissed. The normal sign that the major was finished was when his feet went to the corner of his desk. The Company called it his thinking mode.

  “I gave her my word, too. I’m counting on you to keep it. But if you get into trouble...” The pencil cracked over his knuckles. “I have vacation time.”

  “Got it. Thank you, sir.” Bryce was grateful, but not surprised that his commanding officer was willing to break the rules to help keep his word. That’s the kind of man he was. One of the true good guys.

  “Turn the files you’re working on over to Vivian. One last thing.” He stood, palms flat on his desk, the apparent fury of a man who meant what he said behind every word. “There won’t be a next time. I don’t need men who go behind my back and disobey orders.”

  “No, sir. It won’t happen again.”

  “Just bring the problem to me, Bryce.” He sat again and crossed his ankles on the corner of the old wooden desk. “I usually know what I’m doing.”

  “Thank you, Major.”

  Bryce took care of the case files and explained the situation to Jesse. His partner cursed that he’d be working alone and then said he was due vacation time. Bryce spent fifteen minutes convincing him he’d call if he got into a tough spot.

  As soon as he was out of the building he called Fred. “Did Kylie contact you?”

  “Yeah. Said she was catching a bus to Dallas. Said it was too dangerous for her to come home.”

  “Dammit, why didn’t she call me? I could have picked her up, taken care of things.”

  “I think that’s why she asked me not to call you. Repeated the part about being dangerous for everybody and that it was better for her to start over.” Fred paused but Bryce knew what was coming. “Alone.”

  “What bus line and what time did the bus leave?”

  “She called right before boarding the nonstop. Should be passing through Waco in about half an hour. I can get to Dallas and drag her back here. Damn, I wish that girl had a cell phone. Would be handy about now.”

  “I’ll take care of it. You said you had her place cleaned up?”

  “Everything’s set back to rights.” Fred’s voice perked up. “Everybody pitched in.”

  “There’s one more thing I need you to do. If we’re going to catch the person who’s after Kylie, it’s going to take a lot of cooperation.” Bryce got into his truck, the hands-free connected and he headed out of the parking lot.

  “I don’t think you’ll have a problem finding it.”

  “Yeah, but how do people feel about moving out of their houses for a couple of days?” It was a drastic plan, but he didn’t think he had a chance getting Kylie to go along with it if anyone was in danger. And to prevent someone getting hurt...they simply couldn’t be around.

  “You mean evacuate the block?”

  “As much as possible. And we need a system where people around town check in.”

  “You mean a phone tree? I think the Methodist church and the schools have one for bad weather. I’ll get Allison to work on that. What do you think these men are going to do, hold the town hostage?”

  “Whatever’s necessary. I’m putting a great deal off on you, Fred. I know I’m asking a lot.”

  “She’s a good woman. She deserves to be free of this. You take care of her.”

  “I will. Don’t look for us until tomorrow.”

  “We’ll be ready.”

  The hands-free disconnected about the time Bryce pulled in front of the mobile phone store. He added a line to his bill and got the phone activated, charging it in the truck. It took longer than he’d anticipated.

  The entire time he stood there answering questions he thought about Kylie. If he couldn’t find her...

  What would he do? What could he do?

  He had no claim on her. He wanted to help, but if she refused could he catch the person who wanted to harm her? After all the publicity she’d received in the past three days, he doubted she could easily disappear. Then again, she’d done it once just by running out of gas.

  Flipping his lights and siren on, he tore past Baylor University and used the on-ramp for I-35. Flying down the highway, he kept his eyes open for her bus. It had to have passed through the city by then. Just past the Lacy Lakeview exit, he got behind a bus and it eased to the side of the road.

  The driver met him on the shoulder holding paperwork. Bryce displayed his badge and waved that things were okay. “We’re good. Mind if I take a look at your passengers?”

  “Whatever floats your boat.” The driver tucked his folder under his arm and lit a cigarette, taking advantage of the break.

  Bryce climbed the steps, excited that he was about to see Kylie again. Just how much he wanted to see her surprised him, but not as much as looking at all the faces and being disappointed she wasn’t among them. He didn’t have a picture of her to show and ask the passengers if they’d seen her at the bus station.

  “You’ll be back underway momentarily, folks. We’re looking for a woman, blonde, twenty-six years old, about my height. You might have seen her in the news recently.”

  He took his time looking everybody over, wondering if she’d used a disguise or had maybe dyed her hair. That’s when he saw a man’s finger clandestinely pointing across the aisle. Bryce walked as quietly as possible across the rubber floorboards. Whoever was there—Kylie or a criminal—they didn’t want him to know they were on the bus.
/>   “What did the woman do?” someone asked behind him.

  He was even with the row and recognized Kylie even with her head between her knees. “She didn’t trust the right man.”

  She popped up when she heard his voice. “You can’t force me to leave with you. I’ve done absolutely nothing wrong. A judge already said that and mentioned that further interference in my life might be considered harassment.”

  “You’re right. If you don’t come with me by your own free will, you’ll just run away again.”

  “Oh, give him another chance, honey,” an older woman three rows in front of her said. “He looks like he means it.”

  “Don’t go if he hit you. They never stop. No matter what they say,” a woman who needed to wash stated flatly.

  “It’s nothing like that,” Kylie tried to explain. “We’re not a couple. He’s a Texas Ranger.”

  “Snatch him up, girl. Those guys have job security,” the older woman said.

  “What do you say, Kylie? Let’s talk. If you don’t want to stay, I’ll drive you to Dallas.”

  “You can’t beat that offer,” someone in the crowd said.

  “Whatever you want, lady, but I gotta get this bus movin’ again,” the driver said from up front.

  “Come on, Kylie.” He held out his hand and smiled.

  She placed her fingers in his palm and scooted to the aisle. Her blue bag was hooked over her shoulder. She had a death grip on the overnight bag they’d purchased the day she’d left Hico.

  “I’ll talk. That’s all I’m promising.”

  The bus clapped.

  “It’s like a fairy tale.”

  “Or that movie, you remember...he comes in and whooshes her away.”

  “That’s not romantic.”

  “We’re really not a couple—” Kylie tried. “I barely know him.”

  One of the younger passengers stuck their phone in the air obviously recording them. He faced the young woman and pulled Kylie to a stop.

  “Actually, she took one look at me with my shirt off and couldn’t keep her hands off me.”

  “You were sunburned.” She looked at everyone but him. “I rubbed lotion on— What are you doing?”

  He put one hand around her waist and the other gently at her throat, then whispered, “Roll with me, Kylie. It’s all part of the plan.”

  “Wha—”

  His lips captured whatever she intended to say. There were ooohs and ahhs all around them, he heard more clapping, felt the bus rock a little with the foot stomping. But what he felt...

  The softest lips he’d ever kissed were right...there. He didn’t want to break free of them. She parted her lips slightly and he took advantage. He teased her tongue into dancing with him, holding back because of where they were. His hand slid to the back of her neck. His fingers spread through her silky hair.

  There might have been more, but a firm grip on his shoulder pulled him away.

  “Take it outside, pal,” the driver said. “You sure you want to go with this guy, Miss?”

  Kylie nodded, turned and squeezed by him to get off the bus.

  The young woman recording it all dropped the phone in her lap.

  “How fast can you post that for me?”

  “Couple of minutes,” she answered, already typing.

  “Would you tag me? Bryce T. Johnson, Waco.”

  “Sure. Want me to tag your lady?”

  It’s all part of the plan.

  “Great idea. She used to be a model but lives in Hico now. Sissy Jorgenson.”

  Yep, all part of the plan.

  Chapter Twelve

  “What the hell was that all about?” Kylie didn’t know if she was upset because of the kiss or because the passengers on the bus were tapping on the windows and taking her picture.

  Bryce pulled her farther off the road as the bus left.

  “Seriously, Bryce. Why did you do that? Why were they taking my picture?”

  “It’s part of my plan.”

  “Then kissing me makes perfect sense.” Of course it didn’t. “I thought we were going to talk about your possible plan? Talk about it, not just start perfecting it.”

  “I’ll be honest—”

  “Oh please, let’s.”

  “—perfecting is real nice.” He winked at her. “I’ve already put the plan in motion. The first part was to let your enemy know where you were and social media took care of that.”

  “And the first step was making a public statement that I’m heading to Dallas. So whatever plan I had when I arrived isn’t any good.”

  “Did you have a plan once you got there?”

  He still hadn’t put the truck in gear. They sat on the shoulder with cars and trucks zooming by. It wasn’t the safest place in the world, especially to have a discussion or argument. His question was another that she didn’t have an answer to. A bus ride to Dallas was cheap, saved money, got her out of Austin and more than anything else gave her time to think.

  Shoot. In the two hours on the bus she’d only thought about one person... Bryce. She wasn’t even that upset about being ambushed by Xander the day before. She’d slept soundly for the first time since this mess began.

  Why? She should have been scared after his threats. But she wasn’t when she thought of this man who had come to stop her from running away. He’d raced after a bus because he had a plan. He’d kissed her because he had a plan.

  “Maybe we should talk over coffee or maybe something to eat?”

  “I can handle that. I’ll even buy.” He put the truck in gear, left the flashing lights on and passed cars as they slowed on the right.

  “I’m not starving, Bryce.”

  “Hell... I am. Now you got me hungry for Bush’s fried chicken. It’s a staple here in Waco. Ever had it?”

  She shook her head. His certainty about what to do seemed to be wearing off. He fidgeted a little, not much, but enough to make her aware of it.

  “Look, I...um... I want to say I’m sorry for not sticking with you to Austin. The guys from headquarters took good care of you, though. Right? I tried to find someone who was on your detail, but I wasn’t quick enough. They rotated them with short hours.”

  “I noticed. They didn’t allow me a phone in the room and barely time alone with my lawyer. It’s okay. I’m fine.” Should she tell him about Xander?

  Maybe not while he was still behind the wheel. He wasn’t really speeding and when traffic thinned down, he cut his flashing lights off. His chicken place wasn’t far off the highway and when he rolled his window down the smell made her glad he’d sped most of the way.

  “You’re heading through the drive-through? Are we going to talk in the truck?”

  “I thought I’d take you to my place. We can hold a conversation and avoid people taking your picture.”

  “I notice the cut from my house is healing.” He didn’t have it covered with a bandage any longer. “Are we close to your apartment?”

  “We’re right around the corner.” Bryce ordered enough for a small army, including a gallon of iced tea.

  He exaggerated a bit with his claim that his house was right around the corner. Maybe that’s how they measured things in Texas, but he lived a good fifteen minutes southwest of the highway. The smell of the chicken was absolutely driving her nuts.

  The cul-de-sac on Hidden Oaks Circle had four huge houses. At first, Kylie thought they’d made a wrong turn.

  “Bryce, did you forget to tell me something?”

  “Like what?”

  “Are you married? All this food, this big house... Do you still live at home?”

  He laughed and pushed a gate opener. “I live alone. I haven’t even got a dog.”

  “Oh, why not? I’d get one if I could.” She looked around the perfectly manicured lawn and porch. Everything seemed to have a specific place, laid out nice and neat.

  “You have a great yard in Hico, why didn’t you get one?” He pushed a second remote and opened the garage but didn’t pull
inside.

  “I’ve always wanted a dog but I traveled too much and never had a yard. Then when I started over, I thought I’d have to leave town in a moment’s notice and it wouldn’t be fair to leave a dog behind.”

  He put the truck in Park and turned toward her. “A lot of people wouldn’t think of that. They’d just get one anyway.” Did he want to kiss her again? He hooked her hair behind her ear and brushed her cheek. “And I work too much. Long hours and a lot of weekends. Let’s eat.”

  “Can we eat outside? I’ve been cooped up in stuffy rooms since Sunday.” She walked around the end of the house and another section of the yard opened up with a pool. “Really? That’s just a little overkill for a bachelor.”

  “I got the house for a song and it’s a great investment. I needed it for taxes. Let me get some chairs.”

  “I won’t need one. I’m sticking my feet in the water to cool off.”

  “I’ll join you.”

  They took off boots and sandals, then rolled up their jeans and sat on the edge, feet on the top step, food between them.

  “If I close my eyes I can imagine that I’m on a picnic at a lake. That’s on my bucket list, too.”

  “Wait a minute.” Bryce looked seriously shocked behind his mirrored sunglasses. “You’ve never been on a picnic or to the lake?”

  “Either. Neither. Whatever word I’m supposed to use.” Kylie was seriously tempted to ask for a trip to buy a bathing suit and take the rest of the night to float.

  “I have problems believing that.” He shook his head and ate another chicken strip.

  “I’ve eaten outside plenty of times. If you can call what I did back when I was modeling eating. We had photo shoots outdoors and I did plenty of rolling around in the surf at a beach. But never a family picnic or camping or riding bicycles...nothing like that.”

  “That’s rough.”

  “Don’t feel sorry for me. My job took me around the world more than a dozen times. I have some fantastic memories. Especially of the people I met and how gracious fans were.”

  “Now, you’ve got me on that one. I flew to Oklahoma City a couple of times. Driven to the surrounding five-state area a lot, but that’s about it. Went to school here. My parents took off all the time, but I was the kid who preferred to stay home.”