Special Ops Bodyguard

by Beth Cornelison

  Gage snapped his mouth shut and rubbed a hand on the leg of his jeans. “Oh.”

  “Yet.”

  He arched an eyebrow. “And?”

  She hesitated, giving him a coy grin as she scratched Sinatra behind the ears. Soon the cat hopped down from the sofa and strolled toward the kitchen. Kate took advantage of the vacated space on the couch and scooted closer to Gage. “What time would you like to pick me up?”

  He buried his hand in her silky hair and pulled her close for a kiss. “How does six sound?”

  Gage left Kate’s place after sharing dinner and several more heated kisses with her. As he drove away from her house, he realized he was wearing a sappy grin. Kate, her sunny optimism and enjoyment of life’s simple pleasures, was rubbing off on him. He found himself savoring the sunset, humming with the radio and, mostly, anticipating his date with Kate on Thursday night. Deciding he’d better ensure Janet’s cooperation, he swung by the diner on his way back to the ranch.

  He sat at the counter and enjoyed a piece of Kate’s apple pie while Janet helped other customers. When she came by to clear away his plate and leave his bill, he caught her wrist before she could hustle off to the kitchen. “Do I have your word that you’ll cover for Kate Thursday?”

  Janet rolled her eyes. “Maybe. I’ll see.”

  “Not good enough. Our plans are set. I need your word.” When Janet hesitated, he asked, “Do you love your sister?”

  She looked affronted by the question. “Of course! That’s not the issue.”

  “How many favors has Kate done for you just this week? Huh?”

  Janet’s expression grew contrite, and she pursed up her mouth in acquiescence. “Fine. I’ll try.”

  “Good.” Gage slid more than enough money to cover the pie and a generous tip across the counter, then shoved his arms in his jacket. Only vaguely certain Janet would uphold her promise, Gage left the diner and started up the starlit town street toward Rusty’s truck. Maple Cove was deserted, the stores all dark inside, and he remembered what Kate had told him about the local ranchers not staying out late due to their early-morning hours.

  With the sun down, the temperature had taken a nosedive, and Gage rubbed his hands together, buffing the chill from them. He’d have to see about getting a warm pair of gloves if he was going to be staying in Montana with the senator much longer.

  Perhaps Cole could—

  Wham! A hard object struck his head from behind. Pain blasted through his skull as he stumbled to catch his balance.

  “Threaten me, will you?” a voice growled from the alley beside him.

  Blinking off the stars that danced in his vision, Gage spun to face his attacker. Larry stood in the shadows of the alley, a broken tree limb in his hand. “I told you to stay away from my wife.”

  “And you should learn to trust Janet if you love her.” Gage touched the back of his head searching for any bleeding. Pain throbbed under his fingers.

  Larry lurched toward him again, swinging the branch in an arcing motion.

  Gage ducked, avoiding the blow.

  “I saw you in there with her! I saw your cozy conversation.” Spittle flew from Larry’s mouth, and his eyes were wide and wild. He swung again, and though Gage dodged to get out of the way, he caught a glancing blow on the shoulder.

  “What were you two talking about?”

  Gage sighed, holding out his hands in a conciliatory gesture. He could kick Larry’s butt ten ways to Tuesday, but he knew Kate would disapprove, so he opted for appeasement and diffusing Larry’s wrath. “I asked her to cover for Kate on Thursday, so we could go to dinner together.”

  “Kate?”

  “Yeah, Kate. She’s the one I’m interested in. I don’t steal other people’s wives.”

  Larry shifted his weight and swapped the branch from one hand to the other. “I don’t believe you. Kate’s not even working tonight. Why would you stop in if she’s not there?”

  He met Larry’s skeptical glare calmly, pushing down the twinges of frustration and contempt for this man who hit his wife. “A guy’s gotta eat.”

  “You were telling her to leave me, weren’t you?” Larry growled, his eyes narrowing further.

  Gage said nothing. The truth would only provoke Larry.

  Correctly taking Gage’s silence as confirmation, Larry swung the branch again and called Gage a vile name.

  Gage caught the branch and jerked it from Larry’s hands.

  Shaking with rage, Larry assumed a fighting stance, fists raised. “You and Kate are in it together. That bitch sister of Janet’s is always talking trash about me!”

  Hearing the derogatory term he called Kate, Gage’s temper skyrocketed. He surged forward, jamming his nose close to Larry’s and planting his hands in the man’s chest with a hard shove. “Maybe that’s because it’s the truth. Only cowardly scum has to beat up a woman to feel like a man.”

  Larry rocked his head forward and butted Gage’s face with his head. Pain streaked from his nose through his sinuses, and reacting purely on instinct, Gage swung a fist that caught Larry in the jaw. After staggering back a step, Larry lowered his head and charged at Gage, catching him the gut and shoving him back several steps before they crashed into the brick wall of the alley.

  Gage wrapped his arm around Larry’s neck, shoving his head down and immobilizing him in a wrestler’s hold. “I could break your neck with one twist, pal. You don’t want to get into it with me. You won’t win.”

  Larry was breathing hard, and blood dripped from his split lip. “Let go of me, you freak!”

  “I will on two conditions.”

  Janet’s husband struggled to get free of his grip, and Gage tweaked his grip just enough for Larry to yelp in pain and stop squirming.

  “First, you’re never going to disrespect Kate like that again. Ever. And second, you’re not going to say anything to Janet about her taking the late shift on Thursday night. She’s working Kate’s shift as payback for all the favors Kate’s done Janet. No jealous rages or guilt trips. Got it?”

  Larry grunted weakly and wheezed a breath. Releasing him, Gage gave the man a shove and aimed a finger at him. “Stay away from me, or next time I might not be so lenient. I’d love nothing better than to give you a taste of your own medicine, you wife-beating scum bag.”

  Larry leveled a malevolent glare on him as Gage backed toward the street. Only after he had reached Rusty’s truck did he finger the knot on his head and test his nose for damage. He’d have a goose egg on the back of his head and a bruised nose, but he didn’t think anything was broken. The bouncy ride home over potholed rural roads and with the truck’s aged shock absorbers left Gage with a throbbing headache by the time he reached the ranch.

  As he headed to the guest quarters in the main house, a disturbing thought occurred to him. Could any of the trouble at the ranch or the shooter on the road today have been directed at him instead of Hank? Could any of the incidents have been Larry striking out at what he perceived to be a threat to his marriage?

  As unlikely as it seemed, he couldn’t discount the possibility. Especially in light of tonight’s attack.

  On Wednesday, in accordance with the new understanding he’d reached with Hank, Gage and the senator kept a low profile at the ranch. They watched a lot of television, frequently flipping channels to monitor the progress of the coming cold front that threatened snow, and Hank used his new secure phone to confer with his assistant. Gage welcomed the quiet time, since his head hurt like crazy. His hair covered the knot on his head and the external swelling told him he probably didn’t have a concussion. He did have a dark shadow across the bridge of his nose, though, a clear sign he’d been in a brawl the night before.

  When Cole came in to check the weather forecast and grab a bite of lunch, he took one look at Gage and raised an eyebrow. “So…what did the other guy look like when you finished with him?”

  Gage peered over the edge of his coffee mug and grunted. “Better than he could have. But I knew
how his sister-in-law would feel about me rearranging his face, so…” He shrugged.

  Cole flashed a wry grin. “You need anything? Aspirin? Ice?”

  Gage shook his head and instantly regretted it. “I found some Tylenol. I’ll live.”

  Cole gave the Weather Channel one last disgruntled glance, then headed back out to the stock pens with a sandwich in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other.

  That evening after he got off duty, Gage took a walk on the property to stretch his legs and get a bit of fresh air. Staying cooped up inside made him as restless as it made Hank. As he passed the stable, he spotted Rusty grooming a chestnut mare and crooning softly to the horse.

  Rusty turned when he heard Gage approach. “Evening, Mr. Prescott. Everything all right up at the house?”

  “For the time being.” Gage stroked the mare’s nose, and the horse nickered gently in response. “Thanks again for loaning me your truck. I was hoping to use it again tomorrow night if you don’t mind.”

  The older man waved a hand in dismissal. “No problem. I’ll be heading out on Red at some point tomorrow to look for those lost cows. So the truck’s all yours.”

  Gage watched the Native American manager rub down his horse’s back with a towel and shuffle over to put away the curry comb he’d been using. “How likely is it Cole will be able to find those lost cows and get the herd off to market before that storm hits?”

  Rusty chuckled. “If sheer determination and stubbornness have anything to do with it, you can bet he’ll pull it off.”

  “And realistically speaking?”

  Ace wandered into the stable and sat down at Rusty’s feet with a whine for attention. Rusty gave the old dog’s head a pat. “It’ll be a feat to get it all done. But Cole’s one of the best ranchers I’ve ever had the honor to work for. If anyone can do it, he can.” He walked back to his horse and led the mare into an empty stall. “So you mustered up the nerve to ask Kate Rogers out, huh?”

  Gage furrowed his brow. “Who told you that?”

  The older man grinned. “No one. I just figured if you’re planning ahead to need my truck tomorrow, it had to be for a special reason. No better reason than a woman. Based on what I heard you telling Cole the other morning by the sorting pen, I filled in the blank.”

  Gage gave the ranch manager a grin. “Not bad.”

  Rusty finished settling Red in for the night and hitched his head, telling Gage to follow him as he walked out of the stable. “I also figure that ornery Larry Henderson is responsible for turning your nose black and blue.”

  Gage shoved his hands in his back pockets as he strolled toward the bunkhouse with Rusty. “How’d you guess?”

  “Just connected the dots. Everyone know Larry’s got the temper of a rattlesnake.”

  Gage frowned. “So why doesn’t anyone do something about him?”

  “A few folks have tried. He’s spent a few nights in jail over the years.” Rusty sighed and shook his head. “I know you want to rush in and save Kate and her sister from the jerk, but…be careful. Family situations can be a powder keg of emotions. If you push too hard, the whole mess could explode in your face.”

  Rusty’s warning sent an uneasy tremor though Gage. As much as he wanted to help Kate, wanted to see Janet save herself, he was just passing through town, passing through their lives. He didn’t need to make things worse for either sister by poking a hornets’ nest. Nor could he walk away, knowing the injustice of Larry’s treatment of Janet.

  He nodded his acknowledgment of the advice to Rusty and told the older man goodnight. Ace followed Gage as he walked back to the main house, and before he went inside, he crouched by the old dog to scratch him behind the ears.

  “I don’t want to make things worse for Kate or Janet, but how am I supposed to turn a blind eye to what I see happening?” he asked the dog.

  Ace yawned and gave a short whine.

  “You don’t.”

  Hearing the unexpected voice, Gage whipped around and nearly lost his balance. Hannah Brown stood by the back door watching him, a dog bowl in her hand. “Ignoring a bad situation won’t make it go away. If you care about someone, you protect them. Even if it hurts them to hear the truth.”

  Having said her piece, she patted her leg, and Ace trotted over to her. She set the bowl on the ground and ruffled Ace’s fur before disappearing inside again.

  Gage sighed as he dusted dog hair from his hands and turned his gaze up to the star-filled sky. In less than twenty-four hours, he’d be picking Kate up for their date. He had one day to decide whether to take Hannah’s advice or heed Rusty’s warning.

  Chapter 11

  As he parked at the curb in front of Kate’s house the next evening, Gage still felt uneasy about his plan to have a frank discussion with Kate about her sister. Rusty’s dire prediction that Gage’s meddling could backfire hovered over him like a black cloud.

  His knock on Kate’s front door was answered promptly. Kate took one look at his bruised face, and her welcoming smile morphed into an expression of dismay. “What happened to you?”

  “Larry happened.”

  Her brow puckered. “Larry?”

  “He saw me talking to Janet at the diner the other night when I stopped in for dessert and assumed I was hitting on her.”

  Kate’s shoulders sagged, and she closed her eyes with a defeated sigh. “Oh, no.”

  Gage stood back and hitched his head toward Rusty’s truck. “Ready to go?”

  She fell in step beside him as they crossed her leaf-strewn yard. “I’m so sorry. How badly did he hurt you?”

  Gage shrugged. “He only got in a lick or two, ’cause he caught me by surprise. But I think I set him straight.” He grinned as he opened the passenger-side door for her. “I told him you were the sister I had my eye on.”

  She didn’t look any less worried as she climbed into the truck cab. “Janet said he was in a bad mood the last couple of days. She’s been tiptoeing around him and…” She blew out a gust of breath. “What a mess.”

  Gage said nothing else until he’d slid behind the steering wheel and pulled away from the curb. “But Janet’s still covering for you at the diner tonight, right?”

  Kate shook her head. “No, Laurie is. Janet didn’t want to upset Larry. He’s already so suspicious, and if Janet worked late…”

  Gage squeezed the steering wheel tighter and bit back the remark that sprang to mind. He’d confront Kate soon enough with the purpose of this evening out. He steered the conversation to lighter topics for the short drive from Maple Cove to Honey Creek and the barbecue restaurant Hank Kelley’s brother owned and operated.

  For a Thursday night, Kelley’s Cookhouse was bustling with customers, and the tangy scent of barbecue spiced the air. Gage kept an arm around Kate’s shoulders as the hostess showed them to a table, then held her chair for her as they sat down. For his efforts, he earned one of Kate’s sunny smiles.

  “You’re a dying breed, Gage.”

  “And what breed is that?” he asked as he took the chair kitty-corner to hers.

  “You’re a gentleman. Most men I know have basic manners, but not too many still hold doors or pull out chairs for ladies. I like that about you. Among other things.” She grinned again and picked up her menu.

  “My pleasure.” He wanted to ask her what else she liked about him—what could she see in a gruff, washed-up soldier like him—but he bit back the question.

  “So…are you a rib man?” Kate peered over the top of her menu. “The ribs here are really great.”

  “Maybe. I was thinking steak.” Gage stared at his menu without really seeing it. How did he broach the topic he needed to discuss with Kate? She was so loyal to Janet that she was blind to her sister’s manipulation. And as long as Janet had Kate to run to when things got tough, she had less motivation to leave her bad marriage.

  He could put it off until after they’d eaten, but he’d never been one to delay the inevitable or shy away from difficult tasks.
r />   “Mm…but the barbecued chicken sounds good, too.” Kate licked her bottom lip and wiggled her eyebrows. “Maybe I’ll get both.”

  “Kate.” Gage put a hand on her arm to get her attention. “Can we talk about something…important?”

  Her expression grew serious, and she lowered her menu. “What’s wrong?”

  “Good evening, folks. Welcome to Kelley’s Cookhouse. Is this your first time here?”

  Gage looked up to find an older, potbellied gentleman with short white hair and a cigar clamped in his mouth. Despite the amiable greeting, the man seemed grumpy, perhaps because the way he held the cigar clenched in his teeth made him look as though he was snarling. Gage didn’t have to ask to know this was Donald Kelley, the owner of the restaurant and Hank’s half-brother. The man had the same blue eyes as Cole and Hank.

  Gage stood and extended a hand to Donald. “Good evening, Mr. Kelley. I’m Gage Prescott and—”

  “I’m sorry,” Donald said, pumping Gage’s hand and slanting him a curious look. “Have we met?”

  “No, sir. But your nephew, Cole, speaks highly of you and your restaurants, so we thought we’d give your food a try.”

  Donald’s face brightened. “Any friend of Cole’s is a friend of mine.”

  Gage cleared his throat, compelled to set the record straight. “Well, technically I’m just an acquaintance of Cole’s. I’m staying at his ranch while I guard his father, Senator Henry Kelley.”

  The warmth faded from Donald’s face. “You work for Hank?”

  “Dylan hired me and my colleague to protect the senator in light of recent…threats.”

  Donald rolled his eyes. “You mean the bimbos he cheated with are making demands?”

  Gage thought about the calls Hank had received from Gloria Cosgrove, but said only, “I’m not at liberty to say.”

  Donald grunted. “Of course.” Then sobering, he added, “Are my brother or his family in any real danger?”

  Gage pressed his mouth in a grim line. “I think you should talk to him about that.”

  The older man raised his eyebrows and nodded his understanding of what was left unsaid. “I see.”