“Yup.”
“He had to know the law has been looking for him, but he was crazy and desperate enough not to care. They’ve arrested the goon on several charges. He’s dangerous and refuses to cooperate.” He looked Porter square in the eye. “I’m positive you’re the key, otherwise we’d have several dead rangers by now. More and more I’m thinking he’s working with Melissa Reiver, who has a vendetta against you.”
“I agree.” Porter’s jaw hardened. He got up from the chair. “I’ve got an idea. If you’re ready to authorize me, I’ll go in the interrogation room right now and see if I can worm any information from him.”
“You’re authorized! Go ahead. I’ll watch and listen from the other side of the glass.”
Porter nodded and walked to the interrogation room, being careful not to hurry even though his adrenaline was surging.
The unkempt bearded guy sat in his orange jumpsuit, slouched in a chair, handcuffed with his legs shackled. Porter lowered himself down in a chair on the opposite side of the table, always careful to use his legs, not his back, as Lily had taught him.
“I know your name’s not Jake, but that’s what I’ll call you for now.” If the culprit was Melissa’s brother, he realized that both of them had dark hair, but that still didn’t have to mean anything. “It must have galled you when I spotted your little campfire in the middle of the night before you were able to pick me off.”
“Go to hell!”
Porter smiled. “You’ve made a lot of mistakes waiting for me to show up again, especially building another campfire so close to the first one at the scene of the crime.”
“What crime?” he bit out.
“Stalking me, for one. But off the top of my head I can think of six, all federal offenses that will put you in prison for a long time. Interesting that you seem to have a real love for Captain Black cigarillos. Such a bad habit,” he said, tsking. “That’s not a top seller out west, but the New Yorkers love them and it appears you’re addicted.”
The moment he said it, the guy shot straight up in alarm trying to get out of the chair, but couldn’t.
Porter had hit the jugular.
He knew Holden was standing on the other side of the glass separating the rooms and would have noticed the immediate change in their prisoner. Porter’s pulse sped up.
“You’re in serious trouble, Jake. We know you’re not operating alone while you aid and abet your sister.”
The culprit’s dark eyes flashed pure hatred. Bingo!
“You can talk now and save us a lot of trouble. Otherwise we’ll see you in the morning when you’re arraigned before the judge.”
An unrepeatable epithet escaped the prisoner’s lips.
Porter watched the man squirm, then got up and left the room. Holden was right outside the door, obviously having seen and heard everything. They started walking through the complex to his office in the other part of the building.
Once behind his desk, Holden got on the phone. When he hung up, he said, “Commissioner Kroger is sending me and Stan her picture.”
“Don’t forget she handles a rifle like a professional.”
“I hear you, Porter. The second you hit the jackpot in there, I realized the two of them are working in concert. I’m calling the police chief. He knows what a dangerous situation this is for the rangers. Coupled with your description, we’ll put out an APB and arrest her in case she’s anywhere around here.”
“She and her brother are mental cases, Holden.”
“Yup. We don’t know how long he’s been out here and if his sister came with him, but this means you, Lily Owens and her family are targets. Lily particularly. Melissa is a woman scorned and if she finds out you’re involved with anyone, her jealousy will be off the charts.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of,” Porter rasped. He’d never get over it if Melissa hurt Lily.
“I’m ordering 24/7 protection for all of you, effective now. Security will have to be doubled at the clinic while you’re still receiving therapy.”
“I need to call Lily.”
“Let’s do that right now on my office phone. I’ll put it on speaker. If her parents are there, ask them to listen in and we’ll have a conversation with them so they’ll understand what’s happening.”
Porter’s body flooded with more adrenaline as he made the call.
* * *
Lily was in the kitchen with her parents, ecstatic that the culprit had been caught. While she ate one of her mother’s brownies, she told them about her talk with Porter and the experience that had brought him out to the Wind River Mountain Range in the first place.
Her dad looked pensive. “He went through a horrendous ordeal.”
“How cruel of that ranger to accuse him like that,” her mom groused. “She is sick.”
“It’s awful to think someone could do that to anyone,” Lily murmured. “I want you to meet him when he comes for another ride.”
Just then her cell phone rang, interrupting her. She checked the caller ID. “It’s Porter. He’s probably calling from the jail. Excuse me for a minute.” She hurried into the dining room for privacy and clicked on, afraid he was phoning to cancel their dinner date.
“Hi, Porter!”
“Lily—”
She blinked. “Your voice sounds odd. Are you all right?”
“I am now that I know you are.”
Lily gripped her phoned tighter. “What do you mean?”
“Sheriff Granger is on speakerphone with me. Are your parents there?”
“Yes?” She couldn’t imagine what was going on.
“He wants to have a five-way conversation.”
A chill ran down her body. “All right. They’re in the kitchen. I’ll go in and put my phone on speaker.” She hurried back to the kitchen and looked at her parents. “Porter is with the sheriff. He wants to talk to all of us.”
Perplexed, her parents gathered around the phone. “We’re listening, Sheriff.”
“Mr. and Mrs. Owens? Ms. Owens? This is Sheriff Granger. Ranger Ewing is here in my office with me. We’ve arrested the culprit that Ranger Ewing tangled with in the mountains recently. Tonight a lot more information has come forth.”
Lily started to tremble.
“We have reason to believe he’s the brother of Ranger Melissa Reiver.”
“Her brother?”
“Yes. As he told you, she’s a former member of the US Forest Service in New York who was the cause of Ranger Ewing being transferred to Wyoming.”
A gasp escaped Lily’s lips. “I was just telling my parents about what happened to him.”
“Because of her obsession with him, she was fired and stripped of her pension for trying to get her revenge on him. We don’t have a name on this brother yet, but it’s clear he has been hunting for Ranger Ewing.”
Lily couldn’t stop shivering.
“It’s vital you know the facts. While Ranger Ewing was interrogating him earlier, he learned enough to realize the man’s sister is probably out here with him and hiding somewhere nearby. She’s a former ranger and is armed and dangerous. It’s possible that when she realizes her brother has been arrested, she’ll not only attempt to harm Ranger Ewing, but any people he cares about. That makes you a target, Ms. Owens.”
Hearing that news, Lily found it impossible to swallow.
“I’ve been in touch with the chief of police and he has sent out officers to your ranch to protect you and your family 24/7 until she’s arrested if that’s the case. Captain Sanchez will be in charge and will contact you.
“Ms. Owens? We’re putting the clinic where you work under twenty-four-hour surveillance since Ranger Ewing will still be going in for more therapy. Our hope is that this will draw Ms. Reiver out of hiding if she’s here and we’ll be able to make an arrest.”
Lily was trembl
ing. “I see.”
“There’s an APB out on her here and in New York. Ranger Ewing will supply you with a photograph of her when we obtain one so you can be on the watch for her. In the meantime, I’m advising you to take every precaution to protect yourselves.”
“Of course. It’s a miracle nothing worse has happened yet,” Lily responded.
“Amen. I understand your family sells Missouri Fox Trotters and people come to your ranch to buy them. That means everyone, including Ms. Owens’s patients who are driven to the ranch for therapy, could be in danger. Keeping all that in mind, if you have any questions, call me at this number and ask for me directly.”
Her father cleared his throat. She’d never seen him look so sober. “Thank you for everything you’re doing, Sheriff. Be assured my wife and I will do all we can. I’ll inform all the ranch hands tonight. We’ll pray this woman is caught ASAP if she’s here.”
“We’re going to make sure of it.”
Lily heard the click and threw back her head. “I can’t believe this woman is after him. It’s so horrific, I feel like I’m trapped in a nightmare.”
“Let’s hope it’s over in another day or two.” Her dad finished off a cold glass of water. “Assuming she’s in Whitebark, we’re going to make it damn difficult for her to get to you. Until she’s caught, no more visitors to the ranch.”
“That one woman might come by,” her mother interjected.
Her father shook his head. “If she does, we’ll make sure we’re all heavily guarded.”
Just then Lily’s phone rang again.
“It’s Porter. Just a minute.” She hurried back in the dining room to talk to him alone. “Porter?”
“I know this call had to be shocking to you, but I swear I won’t let anything happen to you, Lily. We’re going to do everything possible to keep you safe.”
“You’re the one I’m worried about,” she cried.
“Holden and I have been talking. You’re a target no matter what, so until this is over, I won’t be coming out to your ranch or seeing you except at the clinic for my therapy sessions. That will cut down on the chances of her trying to hurt you.”
“Do you believe she’s in town?” she whispered.
“I do. Don’t forget she hates me and I’m the one she’s after. Much as I’d love to have dinner with you tomorrow night, there can’t be any more dinners until she’s arrested.”
Pain and regret swept through her.
“She’s going to be found soon, Lily.”
“I have to believe that.” She half groaned the words.
“You’ll have full police protection around the clock, but for the next little while, please keep a low profile.”
She sucked in her breath. “Of course.”
“Can you fit me into your schedule for tomorrow? It’s Tuesday, not my usual day, but it’s important.”
“Of course. I’ll ask Matt to take over for me. When will you come?”
“After I’ve been to her brother’s arraignment before the judge, I’ll show up at noon with lunch and we’ll talk.”
At least she’d be able to see Porter tomorrow. Since talking to the sheriff and being warned of the danger, she couldn’t imagine her life without him in it.
“Come whenever you can, but please be careful. Promise me you won’t let anything happen to you.”
“I was just about to tell you the same thing. Good night, Lily.”
“Good night.”
Still shuddering over the threat that the unstable Ranger posed to all of them, she hung up and walked back to the kitchen.
Her father gave her a hug, but he hadn’t finished laying down the law. “Your mom and I have decided you’ll have to end all therapy sessions here at the ranch until that woman is caught.”
Lily nodded. “Porter already told me as much. He won’t be coming to ride, either. The only place I’ll be seeing him is at the clinic for his therapy.”
Her mom slid an arm around her shoulders. “That’s the best plan, honey. It’s a miracle that brother of hers didn’t kill Porter on the mountain the night of the accident.”
“I’m so thankful for that, too,” Lily whispered. “Somehow he knew Porter had been assigned to the fire lookout, but didn’t expect he would come to investigate his little campfire in the middle of the night. When Porter caught him off guard and confiscated his rifle, he ran off after the accident. It wouldn’t surprise me if he hoped Porter wouldn’t be found and that he died.”
“Let’s be grateful he’s recovered. I have every faith his sister will be caught now. Sheriff Granger has already set a plan in motion and has a reputation for being a formidable adversary.”
“I know.”
“But we all have to be vigilant,” her father reminded her. “Until this is over, I’ll be asking Stuart to take care of your horse. No riding for you. If this woman was a forest ranger, then she was trained to be a marksman who could pick you off from a distance.”
“Don’t worry, Dad. I won’t take any chances and don’t want either of you hurt. I’m so sorry that this affects you, too.”
Her mom eyed her with concern. “You look exhausted, honey. Why don’t you go on up to bed.”
“I’m going, but I doubt if any of us will get sleep.”
Her dad hugged her again. “If you want company, why don’t we all go in the den and watch TV.”
She smiled at him. “I love you for saying that, but it’s okay. I want to be alone.”
Lily needed to cry her eyes out in private. Not only because of fear for Porter’s safety, but also because she’d kept him at arm’s length since they’d met. Now that he’d told her the truth about himself, she couldn’t wait to be with him, but fate had stepped in. The thought of anything happening to him was anathema to her. She ached to be held in his arms, ached to be kissed into oblivion.
Chapter 8
After leaving the arraignment the following morning, Porter picked up some hamburgers and fries and headed for the clinic, aware there were several undercover officers following him. Others had been stationed at the clinic inside and out to protect Lily.
When he arrived in the patient parking area, Ron was waiting with the wheelchair. If Melissa was anywhere around, then she could see that life was going on as usual for him.
Ron wheeled him inside and knocked on the closed door to her room.
“Come in.”
Porter breathed a huge sigh of relief to hear Lily’s voice.
The orderly pushed him over to her desk, but Porter didn’t see Lily at first. He looked around and then noticed her over by a wall cabinet. She glanced at him. “Thanks, Ron.”
“Sure. I’ll be waiting out in the hall, Mr. Ewing.”
“Thank you.”
He left the room.
Lily wore another top beneath her lab coat, this one a brilliant shade of blue. The contrast of her lavender eyes and her black hair knocked him over. “How did you sleep?” he asked when he could find his voice.
“I didn’t.” She walked toward him and sat down at her desk, next to him. “I don’t know how you can sleep, either.”
“Not well.” His eyes drifted over her. “As long as we’re being honest, I was holding my breath until I saw you just now.”
“I know the feeling.” She cleared a spot on her desk. “Thank you for the food. Hand me the sack and I’ll put it out for us.”
He gave her the food. “I didn’t bring drinks.”
“We don’t need them.”
Unable to stand it any longer, he got out of the wheelchair and pulled her to her feet. “What I do need is to kiss you, Lily, or I’m not going to make it another second.”
“Neither am I...” But her words were smothered as his mouth descended over hers. It felt like he’d been waiting all his life for the taste and feel of her. He drew her
lovely body into his arms until there was no air between them. She smelled divine and melted against him.
Their emotions were full-blown. Nothing was tentative, as one soul-destroying kiss followed another. Her hungry response let him know she’d been wanting this since they’d first met.
“Do you have any idea how beautiful you are? How long I’ve been waiting for this?” he whispered at last.
Her eyes were glazed as she looked at him. “There were times during your therapy when I came close to forgetting I was your therapist. I was dying for you to kiss me.”
“Now she tells me.”
Their kisses grew deeper and he forgot where he was until the phone rang on her desk. Even then he didn’t want to give her up, but he had to. This was her office for goodness sake, not the place to make love to her the way he wanted. He had to stop, but didn’t know how. Holding her in his arms was heaven.
The phone rang a second time. At this point he forced himself to let her go and sat back down in the wheelchair so she could answer it. His body throbbed with desire.
When she picked up, he could hear her voice shaking. For the last few minutes they’d forgotten everything and everyone except how they felt in each other’s arms. He’d never experienced passion like this in his life.
The conversation didn’t last long. Not looking at him, she sank down in her chair like she was in shock.
“I hope you realize I’m not going to apologize for kissing you, Lily Owens.” He was still out of breath.
“Please don’t. It’s something I’ve been wanting for a long time, too.”
Her honesty was a miracle. “Was that an emergency?”
“No. My next patient just arrived, but Matt isn’t here to help, so they’ll just have to wait.”
“I know you had to fit me in. I’ll eat fast.” He reached for a burger and some fries.
“What happened at the arraignment, Porter?”
“Her brother pled not guilty. They always do. His trial is set for a month from now. He was charged with lighting fires on federal land without a permit, hunting without a permit, carrying weapons without a permit, leaving the scene of an accident after I’d fined him, giving false information as to his name and employment, trespassing and stalking. Those are just for starters.”
Home on the Ranch: Wyoming Cowboy Ranger Page 10