The Texas Ranger's Bride (Lone Star Lawmen Book 1)

by Rebecca Winters

  “Does everyone on the staff have equal access to the files?”

  “No. Only certain of us have the password to get into them.” She opened the file.

  Kellie wasn’t aware she’d been holding her breath until Olivia looked at them with a pained expression on her face. “Oh no—I did put your number in next to your parents’ number. I remember now. I put it there for me, never dreaming anyone would ever see this file but me.”

  “Please don’t worry about it, Olivia.”

  “It could be a blessing in disguise.” A somber look had stolen over Cy’s features. “Do you know the company that cleans this building?”

  “Yes. It’s called Grayson Janitorial Services.”

  “When do they clean?”

  “At night after nine.”

  Kellie turned to him. “You think the stalker pretended to be a janitorial worker and got into the computer?”

  “Maybe. If he’s cyber savvy, it’s a distinct possibility he broke in.” His gaze swerved to Olivia. “We’re going to go there now and talk to the owner.”

  “Let me give you the address.” Olivia looked it up on the computer and wrote it down on some scratch paper to give to him.

  “Thank you. Before we leave, I need one more piece of information. What company services your computers?”

  “It’s Standard Computer Services.”

  “We’ll find it. Thank you, Olivia. Your help has been invaluable.”

  “I wish I could have helped you more. I pray you catch that stalker. It’s too horrible.”

  “Cy is keeping me sane,” Kellie confessed. “Give my best to your husband. We’ll talk soon.” They hugged once more before Cy escorted her out of the room and down the hall to the entrance.

  “Good luck!” Janie called out. “I hope you win.”

  “Thank you.”

  They walked outside and Cy helped her into their rented Buick sedan. Using the Google mapping system, they drove across town to Grayson Janitorial.

  Kellie glanced at Cy. “I know Olivia was upset that she’d put my cell number in the database.”

  “As I said, if this helps me trace the stalker’s steps, it could uncover valuable information. It’s like putting a puzzle together. Every piece I find forms the picture. If I’m on the wrong trail, we’ll head over to Standard Computer Services. Maybe they sent out a technician to the WPRA who resembles our stalker.”

  Once Cy had parked the car, he took her arm and they entered the business. The store was filled with janitorial supplies. He flashed his credentials in front of the man at the counter.

  “I need to speak to the owner.”

  “Just a minute.” The man made a phone call. “A Texas Ranger is out here needing to talk to you.”

  When he hung up, he told them to walk around the counter and through the closed door to the back office. The middle-aged owner got up from his seat behind the desk and shook their hands. Cy wasted no time pulling out another paper and showing it to the owner.

  “Have you ever hired either of these men to work for you? It could have been as far back as six months to a year ago. I’m following up a lead on a case. I understand your company cleans the offices of the WPR Association.”

  “That’s right.” The other man studied the mug shots before shaking his head. “I’m the only person who hires and assigns the work for my employees. I’ve never seen these men.”

  “What if one of your employees took a friend along while he or she worked?”

  “That’s against the rules, but I’ll talk to my crews. Can I keep this paper?”

  “I want you to. I’ll write my work number on it in case you have information for me. Thank you.”

  Cy put an arm around Kellie’s back as they left the office. It felt so natural, she didn’t think about it until they’d reached the car. While he looked up the address for the computer company on his phone, she glanced at the striking man behind the wheel. She wondered if he could be aware of her in the same way she was of him. When she’d introduced him as her husband to Olivia, she’d felt a sense of pride. Because you’re attracted to him, Kellie, and you’re getting too comfortable around him.

  He started the car and drove to another part of the city, where he parked in the lot next to the building reserved for Standard Computer Services.

  “Cy? If you want, I’ll wait here while you go inside.”

  His head turned to her, impaling her with those dark blue eyes. “Until I arrest the stalker, I’m not letting you out of my sight.”

  The way he said it caused a shiver to run through her body. “I just thought—”

  “It’s my job to keep you safe,” he broke in. “I brought you to Colorado to introduce me to Olivia. There’s no way I’d leave you sitting alone in this car.”

  Of course he wouldn’t! A killer was after her.

  She undid the seat belt and got out of the car before he could come around to help her. For a minute she’d been so concentrated on him and so worried he sensed her attraction to him, she’d said something that had probably made him question her mental capacities. Get a grip, Kellie.

  He accompanied her inside the building. When he made inquiries, one of the guys working the counter showed them to the manager’s office. It was like déjà vu. After introductions, Cy asked the manager to search through their work orders for the WPR Association going back a year.

  “This will take me a minute.”

  “That’s all right. I want you to be thorough.” While they waited, Cy pulled another paper out of his pocket.

  “It looks like we’ve sent our technicians out there four different times.”

  “Tell me the dates.”

  Kellie heard him mention January, April, June and July.

  “Do you send one technician at a time?”

  “Almost always.”

  Cy handed him the paper. “Have either of these men worked for your company within the last year? Take your time.”

  The manager took it from him. Within seconds he looked up at Cy. “This one with the longer hair. His name was Denny Denham.” Kellie let out a soft gasp. “He applied for work in April, but only stayed until the end of June.”

  “Denny Denham has many aliases. He’s on the FBI’s most wanted list and killed a woman.” The manager dropped his jaw in shock.

  Kellie’s heart thudded painfully. Cy’s hunch had paid off. At this point she was in awe of his genius.

  “Why did he quit?”

  “He said his mother was in a hospital in Michigan and needed him.”

  “Was he a good tech?”

  “Very good. I didn’t like losing him.”

  “Was he the tech sent to the WPRA offices on any of the dates you gave me while he was still working for you?”

  “I’ll have to go through the signed receipts. It’ll take me a few minutes.”

  “Go ahead.”

  Cy flashed Kellie a smile meant to encourage her that they were on the right track. He could have no idea of the emotions that smile stirred up inside her.

  The manager looked at Cy. “Denny signed the work order for June 20. It was right after that he had to quit work.”

  The set of Cy’s hard jaw spoke volumes. “I want to see his application.”

  “I’ll print it out.”

  Cy took the paper and stood to shake the manager’s hand. “You’ve been very helpful on this case. Thank you.”

  The manager still looked dazed as they left the office. Once in the car, Cy started the engine. “I’ve got everything I came for. We’ll head back to Austin in time for you to get in some training with your horses. En route to the airport would you like to stop for a hamburger at a drive-through?”

  “That sounds good.”

  “I got lucky toda
y. That always gives me an appetite.”

  “It’s not luck, Cy. You’re brilliant. Didn’t you want to study his work application before we left?”

  “I’ll pore over it with Vic after we get back. It’ll be filled with lies, but maybe there’ll be something in it that will be valuable to the agents working on the other murder cases.”

  She stared out the window. “That poor manager looked shattered. Surely he did a background check.”

  “I have no doubt of it. The trouble with criminals is that they’re human beings just like everyone, and for most of the time they drift in and out of the shadows without anyone realizing it until it’s too late.”

  Kellie’s gratitude for Cy and all he was doing caused her throat to swell. “I’ll never be able to thank you enough, and don’t tell me it’s nothing.”

  A low chuckle came out of him. “I wasn’t going to. Since taking your case, I’ve become a husband. I never dreamed it was such a responsibility.”

  “You’re probably sorry you got involved to this extent.”

  “I wouldn’t have done it if it wasn’t exactly what I felt needed to be done.”

  “But I feel guilty because it makes it difficult for you to have a personal life.”

  “Don’t worry about that. I’ve had a personal life and barely escaped getting married.”

  Her head swung toward him. “Seriously?”

  He nodded. “Her name was Eileen Richards. We were engaged, but it didn’t feel right to me and I broke it off.”

  “How long ago?”

  “I was twenty-one and halfway through undergraduate school.”

  Kellie imagined he was in his early thirties now. “That’s young.”

  “Yup. But my parents and her parents were all for it. As I told you before, they had my life planned out to be an attorney. To everyone’s displeasure, once I’d said goodbye to her, I left school and signed up with the Austin police department. I discovered I didn’t want to defend criminals, I wanted to catch them.”

  “Thank heaven,” she whispered. “How long have you been a Ranger?”

  “Almost three years and I’ve never regretted my decision. To answer your next question, Eileen is married to a successful businessman. According to my mother, she’s expecting her second child, and I couldn’t be happier about it.”

  Neither could Kellie.

  Once they’d eaten a quick lunch, they dropped off the rental car and caught their flight back to Austin. They walked to the short-term parking for Cy’s car and headed for her parents’ ranch.

  “We made good time, Cy. It’s only four o’clock.”

  “That’s why I wanted to get away early this morning.”

  She gave him directions and soon he’d pulled up in front of their ranch house. “Would you like to come in? I know my parents would like to talk to you.”

  “Another time and I will, but I’ve still got a lot of business to do. Don’t forget that one of the crew always keeps you in his sights.”

  “I know. I’ll ask my parents to drive me to the town house tonight.”

  “Give me a call. I’ll be waiting for you.”

  He had no idea what that meant to her, but he was probably tired of hearing it and she could tell he was anxious to leave. She climbed out of the car and hurried to the front door. Opening it, she called out, “Mom?”

  “In the kitchen, darling.”

  Kellie wheeled around and waved to Cy. He waved back and drove off. She stared after him, wishing she didn’t feel strange when his car disappeared. As if she’d lost something.

  Her mom gave her a hug. “You’re back earlier than I would have expected.”

  She took a deep breath. “Cy accomplished what he needed. Where’s dad?”

  “He’s out in the pasture, but he’ll be back by six.”

  “Then I’ll have enough time to do some training drills with Trixie before dinner.”

  Her mother followed her up the stairs to her old bedroom. “What happened today?”

  Kellie walked over to the dresser where she kept her older clothes and pulled out a top and some jeans. “He found out how the stalker got my cell-phone number.” While she changed outfits, she told her mom everything. “He’s so amazing, I couldn’t believe it. Talk about methodical. His mind works differently than the average person’s.

  “I found out his parents wanted him to go into law, but he broke his engagement to this girl and left college to join the Austin police department. He knew what he wanted and went after it. Now he’s a Texas Ranger.” She stared at her mom. “He can be formidable, but it’s cloaked in sophistication. He told me he was going to catch this stalker.”

  Her mother eyed her pensively. “You believe in him.”

  “Utterly. He’s incredible. I’ve never met anyone like him.”

  “No. Neither have I. Your cousin wants to hear all about him.”

  Kellie nodded. “I’ll call her tonight when I get back to the town house. Has anyone else phoned?”

  “Yes. Besides many of your friends, news of your marriage has prompted the Statesman and the Chronicle to get in touch with you for a story and a photo op. Even Tammy White from Hill Country Cowboy Radio is asking for another interview. She said you were a dark horse for pretending that you didn’t know Cyril Vance when you were already married to the gorgeous Texas Ranger.”

  Heat crept into her face. “What did you tell everyone?”

  “That you’d get in touch with them when you had time.”

  “Thanks, Mom. You’re an angel.” She pulled on a pair of cowboy boots she kept in her closet. “I’ve got to get out there so Trixie won’t think I’ve abandoned her. See you in a little while.”

  She flew out of the room and down the stairs. Once she left the house, she ran all the way to the barn. But her thoughts weren’t on Trixie. They were concentrated on the man who’d be at the town house later tonight to let her in. She found she was breathless just thinking about it.

  Chapter Five

  Pleased to discover that Vic was already at the town house, Cy drove into the garage, anxious for them to share information. His friend was dressed in the roofer uniform he’d worn the other day. He’d parked the roofing truck near the end of the alley.

  “You got back earlier than I’d thought,” Vic said as Cy entered the kitchen.

  “That’s because I found the information I wanted.” He removed his jacket and tie and laid them over one of the chair backs, then he grabbed a soda from the fridge. “Do you want a cola?”

  “Sure.” They both took a long drink. “I brought Kellie’s phone back, but she’ll have to wait for her laptop,” Vic informed him.

  He saw it lying on the table. “Good. She’ll be glad to have it.” Cy reached for it and checked the messages. The stalker had sent three more. He put on the speakerphone so Vic could hear them, too. It was more of the same enraged vitriol.

  Cy swallowed more of his drink. “I have news. Kellie’s friend put her cell-phone number in the WPR Association’s database. After some searching I discovered that a Denny Denham worked for Standard Computer Services as a tech in Colorado Springs starting in April of this year. He was called out on a problem at WPRA and signed the work order June 20. After that, he quit his job on the excuse he needed to be with his sick mother in Michigan.”

  Vic’s whistle sang throughout the kitchen. “I talked to Rafe. Get this. He said the voice on Kellie’s phone meets the criteria for a person from Virginia Beach or Charleston, South Carolina.”

  “A long way from Texas,” Cy mused aloud. “Charleston’s the place where one of the victims was killed.”

  “Yup. The minute I heard that, I started a search of all identical twin boys born in both the Virginia Beach area and the Charleston area over the time period I’ve estim
ated. I’m waiting for them to get back to me.”

  “You do great work. At this point I’m wondering where these killers saw Kellie and decided to target her. Until now they’ve operated in the other half of the US.”

  “You’ll figure it out. In the meantime Stan told me that he couldn’t get a good read on the half fingerprint from the garage-door pad.”

  Cy’s eyes closed for a minute. “That was a long shot. Did the woman show up at the mailbox today?”

  “No. Nothing went on around the town house. It’s a waiting game now.”

  “I’m pretty sure he’ll break in one of these nights, possibly even tonight after he sees Kellie’s parents drop her off. I’ll be waiting for him.”

  “Or them,” Vic added. “The crew will cover the front of the condo. I’ll be out in back.”

  “Any news on the IP address of the email sent to Kellie?”

  Vic shook his head. “Janene’s still working on the source. Tor hidden services mask their locations behind layers of routing. But she got into a site called ‘hangman’ and discovered the owner had left the administrative account open with no password. She logged in and is still digging around. As soon as I hear from her, I’ll let you know.”

  “Good.” Cy reached into his pocket and pulled out the paper from the computer services company. “This is the application the stalker filled out to get hired for work at the computer company.”

  They sat down at the table to study it. Cy let out a harsh laugh. “Look at that reference. As I told Kellie, it’s full of lies. Two years at another computer company in Omaha, Nebraska, before he moved to Colorado Springs?”

  “I’ll call the number and see who answers.” Vic pulled out his cell phone and tried it, then put the phone to Cy’s ear. “You may have reached this recording in error. You can try again or call your operator.” Vic hung up.

  Cy rubbed his eyes with the palms of his hands. “No doubt he used his brother, who set up a phony address and phone to send the referral. These killers get around, Vic. They’ve got money to operate. Most likely smash-and-grab stuff, unless they’re living off a family death benefit of some kind. I’ll email this to the agents on the East Coast.”