Comeback Trail

by Carolina Mac

  Jack jumped behind the wheel of his truck and blew out a big breath. “Don’t know when I’ve been so tired.”

  His cell signaled a text and he wasn’t going to look at it, but he did anyway. Dakota.

  “I’ve got a half hour open spot.”

  Thinking he was too tired to aim his gun at a target, the lure of seeing Dakota gave him strength.

  “Coming now.”

  Shooting Range. Preston.

  ONLY a couple of vehicles were in the parking lot when Jack arrived. He wasn’t sure if he had enough energy to crack off more than a couple of rounds, but at least he’d see Dakota for a few minutes. They’d had two dates that amounted to nothing so far. He was usually quicker on the draw than that, but stuff kept happening.

  He found her at the back of the range cleaning up a pile of old ripped targets and shoving them into a garbage bag. “Hey, sorry I didn’t call. Things have been crazy.”

  Dakota smiled and took his hand. “I been missing you, Jack.” She pulled him into the supply room right behind her, closed the door and locked it.

  Pitch dark in the room, Jack could smell her perfume as she pressed her body up against his. Jack felt his jeans tighten and it didn’t matter how tired he was, he wanted what Dakota was offering him.

  He kissed her hotly as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her muscular body closer. She surprised him by unzipping his pants and shoving them down out of the way. She knew what she wanted, and she was in a hurry to get it.

  Jack was happy to oblige.

  He was thinking protection, but Dakota was way ahead of him. She slipped a condom on him with skill and agility and while he was thinking of other things it made him wonder how many times she’d done this same thing in this very closet.

  Jack spun her around, shoved her back up against the wall and rammed the hammer home. A few thrusts and he was toast. Not his most magnificent moment but he was beat and hadn’t had a lot of prep time.

  He was breathing hard as he cleaned up and got dressed. “You kind of surprised me, Dakota. A good surprise. Don’t get me wrong.”

  “You turn me on, Jack, and I like you a lot. Wish you weren’t so busy.”

  “Rodeo on the weekend. I’ll call you about that.”

  She smiled as she buttoned up her shirt. “Okay, great.”

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Friday, May 29th.

  McKenna Ranch.

  CLAY slept on the sofa rather than trying to get up the stairs to his bed. He was the first one up and managed to get out to the porch to have a smoke. He smiled at Jack and I as we came back from the barn after chores.

  “I’m so happy to be home. Can’t tell you how good it feels.”

  “We’re happy too,” said Jack. “Now we don’t have to drive to Preston every time we want to see your face.”

  “Come on in and I’ll make us some bacon and eggs,” I said. “Jacky has to get to work. He’s the star deputy these days.”

  Jack chuckled. “As if I’d be a star at anything.”

  I cooked and Jack ate quickly but had time between bites to tell us about the great escape and how he recaptured Buster Tate.

  “Hope y’all catch Kate and Laney today,” said Clay. “Those girls are bad news.”

  “Sheriff Tucker and I are going after them today.” Jack ran upstairs, showered and changed into his uniform. On the run out the door, he hollered, “Looking forward to the weekend and going to the rodeo over in Grover County with you, Logy. See y’all later.” The screen door slammed, and Deputy McKenna was gone.

  Clay laughed at Jack and held onto his side. “Wish I could go watch you tomorrow, Logy.”

  “I wish you could too, but I don’t see it happening. Tomorrow is too soon. In a week or two for sure.”

  “What do you think about Bonnie Sue?” Clay set his coffee mug down and looked me in the eye.

  “In what way?”

  “Like for girlfriend material,” said Clay.

  “She’s a nice girl, she’s pretty, and she’s crazy for you.”

  “I like her, but I’m not in love with her or anything, and that’s the part I don’t know. Should I keep seeing her? Am I going to like her more later on than I do now? I don’t see it happening.”

  “She’s more like a friend,” I said. “I’m a little confused myself about Linda. Since we got back together, she’s done and said some things that make me think I hardly know her.”

  “That surprises me,” said Clay. “At one point, a long time ago you were ready to marry her.”

  I shrugged and made more toast. “Maybe it’s a good thing I didn’t.”

  “Jeeze,” said Clay. “Let’s talk about something else. I’m getting more depressed by the minute. Are you ready to win tomorrow?”

  I laughed. “I think that will be depressing too, Clay. I’m not ready and I know it. I entered thinking I needed to get the feel of competition again.”

  “Is Linda racing tomorrow?”

  “Yep, she is.”

  “Wonder if Rowdy Butler will be there.”

  “He’s big time now. I doubt it.”

  “Maybe Lightning Lizzie will be there, and Linda will have some real competition.”

  “Liz Rideout is the queen of barrel racing. When she’s competing, Linda chokes and she can’t beat her.”

  “I hate to miss it.”

  “Hey, if I start competing again, you’ll be right there at every rodeo.”

  Clay nodded. “That’s true. I will be.”

  I was cleaning up the kitchen after breakfast, planning to get a couple hours of practice in before the sun was too high in the sky when my cell rang. Ace, the PI guy.

  “Good morning, Ace.”

  “Morning, Logan. I’ve got some information for you. What’s a good time?”

  “How about one?”

  “One is fine. I’ll see you then.”

  “Wonder what he dug up on Fiona?” I headed for the corral to saddle Bowie and start my practice session.”

  Sheriff’s Office. Preston.

  JACK was called into Sheriff Tucker’s office the minute he arrived at the station. “You get out there and find the escaped prisoners, Jacky. We’ve got to get them back pronto.”

  “We checked Swain’s trailer already. Got any ideas where else should I look?”

  “Haven’t got a clue. You’ve got a good head on your shoulders, Jacky. That’s why I hand-picked you for this job. You think about where those wild women might go and you investigate—like a detective.”

  “Yeah, like a detective. Okay, Sheriff, I’ll see what I can do. Did you check on Ivan?”

  “Uh huh. Called the hospital and they sewed his arm up again. He’s going okay. Might be back on desk duty by Monday.”

  “Wonder how those girls got his keys?”

  The sheriff rolled his eyes. “Ivan ain’t the sharpest deputy I ever had, but he’s loyal and dedicated.”

  “Maybe he’ll tell us the whole story when he comes back to work,” said Jack.

  “Can’t wait to hear that one.” Sheriff Tucker shook his head.

  “I’ll call when I get a lead, Sheriff.”

  “Don’t let me down, Jacky. I’m counting on you.”

  Jack sat behind the wheel of the squad for a few minutes thinking and trying to figure out where Laney and Kate would go. He had a couple of ideas.

  McKenna Ranch.

  AFTER I pushed myself as hard as I could through my morning workout, I cooled Bowie out, gave him a carrot and headed to the house to shower.

  I felt good after I cleaned up. I was in better physical shape than I’d been in for at least a year. More strength was not only good for competition, but good for the hard work the ranch called for as well.

  I made myself a sandwich and brewed a fresh pot of coffee before Ace came to give me the lowdown on Fiona. I wondered what he had to tell me that I didn’t already know, but I’d find out soon enough.

  He was right on time. Cadence and Rusty barked and I
stepped out onto the porch to greet him. “Afternoon, Ace. Come on in and we’ll talk in the office. It’s a lot cooler in the house.”

  He followed me in, placed his briefcase on the desk and took a seat. “I was able to locate an old boyfriend of Fiona Lonnigan’s. A guy named, Darryl Soroya, up in Lubbock. It seems he knew her from veterinary college.”

  “Was she a stalker then?”

  “Yep, she was,” said Ace. “According to Darryl, Fiona started following one of the professors at the college and he reported her to the cops.”

  “Was she charged?”

  “Yep, the police charged her, but they had a hard time proving the charges and the case never went to trial.”

  “But we can still use this old case to show she’s a stalker?” I asked with hope in my heart.

  “It may or may not be admissible if you ever went to trial,” said Ace. “The boyfriend said he thought Fiona had a screw loose and he broke up with her.” Ace opened his briefcase and handed me an official report inside a tan folder.

  “Thanks. I’ll read every word of it later.”

  “Here’s my bill for the time I’ve spent on Doctor Lonnigan up to yesterday. It will give you an idea what this is costing, and you can decide if you want to keep going.”

  I glanced at the total on the invoice and nearly choked. “It would be worth it if you could make her stop.” I wrote Ace a check and handed it to him.

  “Only the cops can make her stop, Logan, and they won’t do that without evidence. I’m suggesting a restraining order. Keep her away from you and if she crosses the line, then she can be arrested.”

  “What kind of evidence do I need to get a restraining order?”

  “We’ll need a police report first off. When Doctor Lonnigan makes her next move, you’ll have to call the police and have it documented.”

  “Okay. What about Linda getting arrested. Does that count?”

  “Explain it to me.”

  I told him how Fiona had kissed me in public and Linda had broken her nose and got herself arrested for assault.”

  “Umm… I’m not sure. We need Fiona to do something to you or threaten you in some way.”

  “All right. Let’s keep going over the weekend and reevaluate on Monday if we still don’t have anything. Maybe she’s giving up.”

  “Fair enough.” He tucked the check into his briefcase and zipped it up.

  I walked him to his truck feeling like I’d wasted a pile of money for nothing.

  Doyle Hutton’s Ranch.

  JACK checked a few places he though Laney and Kate might be, but he saved his best hunch for last. He parked in Doyle Hutton’s laneway right behind Kate’s old green pickup.

  How did she get her truck back? Was it here all the time?

  Jack knocked on the door and Doyle opened it. He was out on bail for the theft of their bull and Jack hadn’t forgiven Doyle for associating with a gang of thieves.

  “McKenna, you want something?”

  “I want Laney and Kate right now. I have to take them back to jail in Preston.”

  “They were released,” said Doyle.

  “They were not released. They assaulted a deputy and injured him and broke out of their cell. I’m arresting them on new charges and taking them back to jail.”

  Doyle spun around and hollered in a furious voice, “Kate, Laney, did y’all lie to me? Jack says you broke out of jail and assaulted a deputy.”

  “So what?” Kate swaggered into the hallway and stood behind Doyle. “We were granted bail. Wasn’t our fault Carson wouldn’t cough up the bail money.”

  “Hand them over, Doyle. I don’t want to bring more charges against you for harboring fugitives.”

  “Hell no,” said Doyle. “If they broke out of jail, I don’t want them here in my house. I’ve got enough trouble. Take them.” He hollered for Laney and she wouldn’t come from wherever she was. “Hang on, Jack. I’ll get her for you.”

  “Hold out your hands, Kate,” I said, and she immediately put her hands behind her back. “Come on. Don’t fight me on this.”

  Kate lunged at him swinging her fists and cursing at the top of her lungs. Jack grabbed one arm as it flew through the air at him and snapped a cuff on her wrist. He was reaching for the other arm when Kate’s hand caught him, and she dragged a sharp nail across his face.

  Heat roared up Jack’s neck and his adrenaline pumped harder. His first instinct was to smash her in the face, but instead, he grabbed hold of Kate and used his size and strength to forcibly cuff her hands behind her back.

  Panting for breath after the skirmish, Jack pushed her down onto the floor. “Sit there and don’t move or I’ll shoot you, so help me.”

  Doyle returned with a sobbing Laney in tow and helped get both girls into the back of the cruiser. Jack fastened them in, then locked the back doors and made sure the screen was in place. He figured the wild bitches would probably try to strangle him while he was driving.

  “Thanks, Doyle. Appreciate your help.”

  Doyle leaned on the driver’s window ledge. “Honest, Jack, I had no idea they broke out and hurt a deputy.”

  “Ivan is in the hospital. Those girls tore apart Ivan’s stitched up arm where one of Micky’s dudes stabbed him at the motel.”

  “Heard about that dust-up at the motel but I wasn’t there.”

  “Keep better company,” said Jack. “Bad friends—bad trouble.”

  Doyle nodded and Jack drove away.

  Sheriff’s Office. Preston.

  THE two girls hollered and cursed all the way back to Preston and Jack couldn’t wait to get them out of the squad and back into a cell. He left them locked in the squad and ran inside to get the sheriff.

  “Sheriff, can you help me? Got the girls in the squad and I need help getting the wild bitches into their cell.”

  “I’m with you, Jacky boy.” Sheriff Tucker grinned and got up out of his chair. “Where did you round them up?”

  “Hutton’s ranch. I looked a few other places, but I guessed they might run to where Harper was and I was right.”

  “We should arrest Hutton for harboring.”

  “Nope, don’t think so. They lied to him and said they were released. He helped me get them into the squad.”

  “And Harper didn’t give you no grief while this was going on?”

  “Never showed her face and I wondered about that. Maybe she wasn’t there.”

  “Uh huh. Interesting. That’s a nasty scratch you’ve got on your face, Jacky. Better get something on it soon as we’re done.”

  With Sheriff Tucker’s help, Jack got the girls—one by one—from the cruiser to the lockup. Once they were safely locked in their cell, he headed for the washroom to clean up the blood on his face.

  “Nice job catching them, Jack,” said Sheriff Tucker. “I’ll be laying new charges on these girls. They did a number on Ivan and they’re going to pay for it.”

  “I’m going to take a run to the hospital to see him before I head home, Sheriff.”

  “Yep, give him my best. I’ll drop by and see him on the weekend.”

  McKenna Ranch.

  CLAY and I were porch sitting when Jacky boy called. “Hey, kid, did you catch a lot of bad guys?”

  “Bad girls, Logy. Meet me at the Spur and I’ll tell you all about it. Can Clay come? I’ll buy you guys dinner.”

  “Half an hour and we’ll be there.”

  “Where?” asked Clay.

  “We’re meeting Jack at the Spur and he’s buying us dinner. We lucked out.”

  Clay smiled. “We sure did. Let me get cleaned up a little.”

  “Don’t rush. Take it slow and easy. We’ve got time.”

  Clay went inside and my cell rang. Linda.

  “Hi, Linda. Did you practice today?”

  “Just finished and I’m sweating like a pig. Are you meeting me at the rodeo?”

  “Sure, I’ll meet you at the horse trailers in the morning. It’s gonna be a hot day, but I’m looking forwa
rd to it.”

  “Are the boys coming?”

  “Jack and Dakota are coming. Clay is sitting this one out.”

  “Can’t wait to see you, Logan. I love you.”

  I ended the call without saying a word and felt mean doing it, but I wasn’t a liar. I had no clue how or why it happened, but I had to admit it to myself. I didn’t believe I loved Linda Loudon anymore.

  Broken Spur Roadhouse.

  THE food at the Spur was fantastic as always. Miss Jane gave the three of us complimentary pecan pie and we were so stuffed we couldn’t eat another bite.

  Jacky boy entertained Miss Jane with his tale of tracking down the runaway prisoners and getting them back for Sheriff Tucker.

  “Old Tucker, the fucker, is lucky he has you, Jack. He couldn’t catch a butterfly with a six-foot net. That boy is one lazy butt.”

  “He’s been trying pretty hard, Miss Jane. That man was down and out devastated by the verdict.”

  “Weren’t we all.” Miss Jane went about the business of running a busy roadhouse and we sat in our booth with a fresh pitcher of Lone Star minding our own.

  A couple hours later we were on our third pitcher and I was seriously thinking of going home and sleeping. Tomorrow would be a big day for me. I was about to ask Clay if he was ready to leave when Bonnie Sue came in and joined us at our table.

  Clay seemed pleased to see her and offered to buy her a drink. “I’ll buy a pitcher and we can share,” said Bonnie Sue. She moved closer to Clay on the bench seat and snuggled up against him.

  A girl came over and asked Jack to dance and he was on his feet and gone in seconds. At least one of us was having a time. I took a sip of my beer and decided I’d had enough. I didn’t want to be hung over and at half power in the morning.

  The door of the roadhouse opened, and I blinked when I thought I saw Carson Wagoner come in with Harper and Doyle Hutton. Another closer look and it was them alright. They marched past us looking for an empty table or a booth and I could see Bonnie Sue’s eyes following them.