Enemy Infiltration

by Carol Ericson

  When he could finally see the front of Lana’s house, his heart dropped to the pit of his stomach as he made out a form collapsed in front of the house.

  He charged forward and bent over Lana, her inert body splayed on the ground, her nightgown bunched around her waist and her panties pulled down on one side. What the hell had happened here?

  He scooped her up, and she moaned. “It’s okay. I have you now.”

  Her body went rigid in his arms, but she didn’t move her arms or legs.

  “Lana, are you all right? What happened? Can you breathe?”

  Maybe the smoke had gotten to her. Clasping her against his chest, feeling her heart beat against his, he strode away from the burning house and laid her down in the field.

  The alarm had done its job, and the fire crew for the ranch pulled up in a truck with a tank of water, ready to hose down the fire until the volunteer fire department from town arrived.

  As he cradled Lana’s head in his lap, she grabbed at his hand and opened her mouth.

  He put his ear to her lips, but she couldn’t seem to form any coherent words.

  After a few attempts, she managed one word. “Journal.”

  “Don’t worry about that now.”

  A tear leaked from the corner of her eye and she tried to form the word again.

  Logan popped up and waved over one of the ranch hands. “Brian, sit here with Lana for a minute. I think she’s suffering from smoke inhalation. I’ll be right back.”

  “Sure, boss.”

  Logan rushed back to the house, flames crackling on one side of it, and headed for the front door.

  One of the workers called out, “Logan, stay back. We don’t know what’s burning. There could be an explosion.”

  “I’ll be in and out.” He dived through the front door and whipped out his knife. The fire hadn’t reached the living room yet, and he flipped back the rug and retrieved the journal notes. Thank God Lana hadn’t thought about them on her way out—or she might not have made it out at all.

  He stuffed the papers and the notebook inside his jacket and by the time he exited the house, the volunteer fire truck was rushing forward, lights and sirens on high alert.

  He smacked Brian on the back. “Thanks, man. How’s she doing?”

  “Trying to talk, but I can’t understand a word she’s saying.”

  Logan took his place beside Lana and stroked her forehead. “Don’t try to speak. Don’t worry about anything. I got Gil’s journal. Relax. A doctor’s on the way and we can airlift you to a hospital in Fort Worth if we have to.”

  The news of Gil’s journal seemed to soothe her and her head fell back in his lap.

  His siblings in various stages of undress started converging on the scene, and Logan tucked his jacket tighter around Lana’s body.

  Hugh reached them first. “What the hell happened out here, Logan?”

  “I’m not sure. I was outside, smelled the fire and then saw the smoke coming from the direction of the guesthouse. When I ran over here, I discovered the house on fire and Lana collapsed out front. She hasn’t been able to say more than a word or two and seems like she’s in shock or something because she can’t move. I’m thinking maybe smoke inhalation.”

  “Doc Flanagan on the way?”

  “Yeah.”

  “He can treat her at the house.”

  A few minutes later, Dr. Flanagan himself appeared and crouched beside Lana. “Does she have any burns?”

  “None that I saw.”

  Logan lifted Lana onto the gurney himself. “Why is she so unresponsive?”

  “It could be shock. Let’s get her up to the house and I’ll determine whether or not she needs to be hospitalized.”

  Logan rode in the back of the ambulance with Dr. Flanagan checking Lana’s vitals while Logan held her hand. He should’ve insisted on staying with her tonight and damn the optics.

  Forty minutes later, the doctor had finished his evaluation of Lana and she lay in one of the upstairs bedrooms, tucked under the covers, sleeping peacefully, her long lashes dark crescents on her cheeks.

  Logan handed Dr. Flanagan his jacket. “You’re sure she’s okay?”

  “Despite a low heart rate, all her vital signs are normal and her lungs sound good. Shock can affect people in different ways and lethargy is definitely one of those ways.” He tucked his bag under his arm. “When Lana wakes up, and she will wake up, she should be fine. If she’s not, you know where to find me, and if it’s an emergency you know how to contact emergency services to have her airlifted to Fort Worth.”

  “Thanks, Doc.” Logan shook his hand. “If you don’t mind seeing yourself out, I’m going to stay with Lana.”

  “Good idea.” Flanagan stopped at the door. “Do you know how that fire started?”

  “I haven’t heard anything yet. I’ll talk to Hugh about it later.”

  When the doctor left, Logan got up and closed the door behind him. He settled into the chair he’d pulled up alongside the bed and watched Lana sleep, his own eyelids heavy.

  When her cough jolted him awake, he sat up in the chair and glanced at the clock. Several hours had passed since the doctor left and daylight was seeping through a gap in the drapes.

  Logan grabbed the plastic cup with the straw and hunched forward. “Lana? Are you awake?”

  Her eyelids twitched and she raised her hand.

  Logan grabbed it and squeezed—hard. “Lana? Are you okay? Are you coming back to me?”

  Her tongue poked out from her mouth, and she licked her lips. “Thirsty.”

  “I have some water for you right here.” He held the straw to her dry lips. “God, I’m happy to hear you say something.”

  Her lips puckered around the straw and she sucked up the water until she slurped it up from the bottom of the cup. “So thirsty.”

  “I’ll get more.” Logan lurched toward the bathroom and filled the cup up with cold tap water.

  Lana drank most of that, too, before her eyes began to focus on his face and she struggled to sit up.

  He bunched the pillow behind her to help. “How are you feeling?”

  “I feel...okay. Kind of tired.”

  “Can you move your legs?”

  “My legs?” She kicked one up under the covers. “Why? Did I fall from a horse?”

  Logan ran his knuckles across his chin. She didn’t remember. “There was a fire at the guesthouse. You don’t remember?”

  “A fire?” She ran her hands down both of her arms and pushed back the covers. Grabbing handfuls of the nightgown covering her thighs, she looked up. “Where’s my nightgown? The one I was wearing?”

  “Yours was dirty. That one belongs to Hugh’s wife. The doctor was already here to see you and said you’re fine, except for the shock—and now the memory loss, which he didn’t mention was a possibility.”

  “Hold on.” She held up a hand. “One thing at a time. Why was my nightgown dirty?”

  “When I saw the fire, I discovered you outside on the ground, in the dirt. Then I carried you away from the house and put you down in the big field. So, yeah, your nightgown was pretty filthy by the time we got you to the house.”

  She nodded. “Okay. There was a doctor involved?”

  “Dr. Flanagan. He’s the local MD in town, but we can get you to the hospital in Fort Worth if you need it.”

  “I don’t need any more medical treatment. I feel fine. I guess I escaped from the fire in time, before it did any damage.” She gasped and clutched at his hand. “The house? Did it burn down the guesthouse? The notes on Gil’s journal?”

  “The house sustained some damage, but it’s still standing and can be repaired. I have the journal notes from beneath the floorboards in my jacket.” He tilted his head to the side. “You’re the one who sent me back into the house to get them.”
/>   “I sent you back into a burning house and you went?” She coughed. “Are you crazy? Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine—not crazy, either. It was important to you at the time.”

  “A fire.” Lana sawed at her bottom lip with her teeth. “How’d it start?”

  “I don’t know yet.” He circled his thumb on the back of her hand. “What are you thinking?”

  “Why was there a fire just when I moved into the guesthouse?”

  The twinge of uneasiness in his gut formed a solid knot. “I don’t know, but I found you outside unharmed, and our notes on the journal were where we left them.”

  “But if you hadn’t discovered the fire when you did, what would’ve happened? Would the guesthouse as well as the journal notes be ashes...along with me?”

  He slipped off the chair onto the edge of the bed, taking both her hands and raising them to his lips. “Don’t even say that. When I saw the house on fire and then saw you on the ground, a million horrible scenarios charged across my mind.”

  “How did you see the fire? Presumably you couldn’t see it from your bedroom window, could you?”

  “I was...on patrol.”

  She raised one eyebrow. “And that’s something you do regularly when you’re here at the Double H?”

  “No. Only when there’s something...or someone I’m looking out for at the guesthouse.”

  “So you were worried.”

  “Watchful.”

  “We need to find out how that fire started and where.”

  “I have a good idea of where. The back left side of the house was blazing—right next to the copse of trees, which were also on fire—outside the extra bedroom, the one next to yours. That’s probably how you got out. You heard or smelled the fire and since it hadn’t spread to the front of the house, you were able to make your escape through the front door.”

  “It’s weird that I don’t remember any of that.”

  “What do you remember?”

  She wrinkled her nose and took another sip of her water. “I remember being incredibly tired. So tired, I could barely brush my teeth. So tired, I was out as soon as my head hit the pillow.”

  “I was tired, too. Had to down a couple cups of java to stay awake. You don’t remember smelling the fire or hearing it? You don’t remember running from the house?”

  “I remember—” she shook her head “—falling into a dead sleep.”

  “This amnesia you’re experiencing is weird. I wish Dr. Flanagan had stuck around until you woke up. I’d like to ask him about it. I can understand the shock, but why can’t you remember what happened?”

  “I don’t know, Logan.”

  The light tap on the door had him jumping to his feet and spinning around. “Who’s there?”

  Angie poked her head into the room. “Just checking on Lana. Is she okay?”

  Lana cleared her throat. “Come in, Angie. I wanted to thank you for the nightgown.”

  “Glad to give it up. Yours was filthy—and don’t worry. I’m the one who took the old one from you and got you into mine.” She pushed the door wider to reveal Hugh carrying a tray of food. “We brought you some breakfast. Do you feel up to it?”

  Lana squinted at the tray. “Maybe the juice and the tea. I woke up so thirsty.”

  Hugh stepped around his wife and handed off the tray to Logan. “Doc Flanagan said you hadn’t suffered any injuries. We were relieved to hear that. Do you smoke, Lana?”

  Logan jerked and the hot water from the teacup sloshed over the side. “Why are you asking her that?”

  “Let her answer.” Hugh narrowed his eyes. “Do you?”

  “No. Now will you tell us why you’re asking that question?” She took the glass of juice from Logan with just a small tremor to her hand.

  “It looks like that’s how the fire might’ve started—someone smoking near the tree line. A couple of cigarette butts were discovered.”

  Logan ran a hand through his hair. “Someone was smoking outside the guesthouse with Lana staying there?”

  Lana’s gaze met his over the rim of her glass, and her eyes flickered.

  “Unless it was Lana herself.”

  Logan sliced a hand through the air, as a flash of heat scorched his chest. “She just told you she doesn’t smoke, and I can verify that—as if I should have to.”

  “Hold your horses. I’m not accusing anyone of anything, little brother.” Hugh winked at Lana. “What happened last night?”

  “I—I don’t remember.” Lana wrapped her hands around the cup. “I fell asleep and the next thing I knew I was waking up here in this bed.”

  “You don’t even remember the fire?” Hugh’s eyes bugged out in exaggeration.

  Angie elbowed him in the ribs. “She was probably in shock. I know I would be.”

  “Darlin’, you’d be in shock if the nail lady ran out of your favorite polish.”

  Lana pursed her lips and her nostrils flared.

  Logan should just let Lana give it to Hugh with both barrels, but that wouldn’t help anything right now.

  He stepped between Lana and his brother. “Hugh, you’re an idiot, but I suppose Angie already knows that. If you’re done accusing Lana now, you can leave. I’ll talk to you about the fire later.”

  Angie ducked down and patted Lana’s foot beneath the covers. “Hugh is an idiot, honey. Don’t worry about anything he says. Just work on getting better.”

  “Yeah, since you were supposed to be taking a look at the horses today.”

  “Out.” Angie shoved her husband from behind and closed the door behind them.

  “That’s just great. Your brother thinks I started the fire.” She drained her juice. “What possible reason could I have for doing that?”

  Logan hooked a thumb through his belt loop and studied the rug. “To wind up here.”

  “What?”

  “I know my brother and I know the way his mind works, which is scary, but I’m sure he believes you started the fire and faked being in shock to make it to the house and this bed. Violet part two.” He held up both hands as Lana opened her mouth. “I know. I know. I told you my family had issues.”

  She snapped her mouth shut and sniffed. “I really don’t care what your family thinks—as long as you don’t believe that.”

  “Me?” He smacked his chest. “You know what I believe?”

  “The same thing that I do. The people who want Gil’s journal or at least want to stop anyone else from getting it followed us here, got onto the ranch and set that fire to literally smoke me out.”

  “Damn it.” He sank into the chair by the bed and stretched his legs in front of him. “That’s exactly what I think, but I can’t wrap my head around the how and the why of it.”

  “How? Jaeger got your name and passed it onto them. They did a search on you, saw your connection to the Double H and figured you’d bring me here for safety. We know the why—Gil’s journal.”

  “It’s not that simple. How would a stranger just waltz onto this ranch? Why set a fire? Are they trying to destroy the journal...or you?”

  Lana pulled the covers up to her chin. “Maybe I’m in denial here, but if they...got rid of me, they’d have no way of decoding the books they stole from the McG Ranch. That wouldn’t do them any good.”

  “Maybe they don’t care about decoding Gil’s journal. They want to get rid of it and the one person who can decode it.”

  “Thanks for bursting my bubble.” Lana rubbed her arms. “But if they did set that fire last night, they had their best chance. You found me collapsed in front of the house. They could’ve finished me off before you came onto the scene. They didn’t take that opportunity.”

  “You’re right.” Logan tapped the toes of his boots together. “They wanted to take you, not kill you.”

  “And you stopped
them. They obviously didn’t expect anyone to notice that fire until it was too late, but you did. You saved me, Logan.”

  “Thank God.” He leaned forward and grabbed her hand. “If they had taken you...”

  “Ouch.” She drummed her fingers on the back of his hand. “You’re crushing my bones.”

  He uncurled his fingers and turned her hand over. He kissed the center of her palm. “I’m sorry. Am I crazy feeling this way about you? Is it my imagination, my white knight complex, or do you feel something, too?”

  “If you’re crazy, I’m crazy, too.” She cupped his chin with her hand. “Kinda crazy about you.”

  A stupid smile broke out on his face, and he relocated to the edge of the mattress. This time, he scooped her into his arms and planted a kiss on her mouth as if to seal some sort of pact between them.

  She curled her arms around his neck and kissed him back, her soft lips moving beneath his.

  He cupped her rounded breast beneath the gauzy material of Angie’s nightgown, running his thumb across her peaked nipple and she arched her back.

  Whispering against her lips, he said, “Is it too soon? Should I let you rest?”

  “Soon?” She nibbled on his lower lip. “I’ve been waiting for this ever since I met you.”

  “One word, and you could’ve had me. I’m easy...when it comes to you, I’m easy.” He slipped his hand beneath her nightgown and brushed his knuckles up her thigh and over the curve of her hip. “Angie took away your underwear, too.”

  “I thought at first you were the one who undressed me.”

  “I didn’t want to take liberties.” He slipped his hand beneath her bottom and caressed her silky flesh. “Like this.”

  She squirmed against him and raked her nails down his back. “The thought of you undressing me kind of turned me on.”

  “Everything about you turns me on.” He cinched her wrist and pulled her hand down to his thigh. “Do you want to see how much?”

  Dragging her hand across the erection bulging and aching beneath the rough denim of his jeans, she sighed. “Do you think those condoms under the floorboard are still good?”

  “What happened between the opportunity we had to hook up at your house back at the McG and now?” His caresses stopped. “I’m not pushing you, am I? Taking advantage of your weakened state?”