Reunion Mission (Rangers Under Fire)

by Virginia Vaughan

  She eyed him watching her. “I figure they’ll be wanting some coffee soon. I thought I would make a pot.”

  He smiled. That was so Claire. Trying to take care of everyone else when she was the one who’d experienced an awful fright. He was suddenly tongue-tied, uncertain of what to say to her in this moment when there was nothing but the past between them.

  “How have you been?” she asked, starting the awful, awkward conversation he’d known was coming.

  “I’ve been good,” he told her. “Real good.” He rubbed his face, trying without success to wipe away the overwhelming desire to take her in his arms again and assure her that everything would be fine. But as Preston Ware had pointed out, that was no longer his right to do. “So you became a teacher? What do you teach?”

  “Chemistry.”

  “You always were good at science. Better than me, that’s for sure.” He glanced around at the room they were in. He’d been holding back a slew of memories that had emerged the moment he’d stepped through the door into Lakeshore High. He’d spent four years at this school, good years. “Didn’t we have a class in this room?”

  She nodded. “Western Civ.”

  He grinned, remembering those days. “Coach Rollins. I wonder whatever happened to him.”

  “He died of a heart attack last year.”

  He forgot he wasn’t just reminiscing with some old friend. She’d been here in town. She’d kept up with all those people he’d left behind. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

  “Look, Matt, there are a lot of places in this building, even in this town, where we took classes or hung out together. I know it must be awkward for you, but I face those places every day. I put those memories behind me a long time ago.”

  Ouch, right to the point. “Claire, I owe you an apology.”

  “Don’t. Please don’t apologize. We were just kids back then.”

  “The accident—”

  “Was just an accident, Matt.”

  “I shouldn’t have been drinking and driving.”

  “We were both drinking that night. We both used bad judgment.”

  “Then you at least have to let me apologize for leaving the way I did.”

  “It’s not necessary.”

  He flashed back to the night of the accident and the sight of her broken body being pulled out from the wrecked car. It was the image of her he’d carried with him for the past ten years. “You look good, Claire. Are you... Is everything okay?”

  She nodded. “It took a few surgeries and a lot of rehab, but I’m okay now.” She rubbed her hip unconsciously and he wondered if it bothered her. He’d noticed her limping earlier. “You are hurt,” he said, motioning to her hip.

  She reddened, then waved away his concern. “It’s nothing.”

  “You need to have that checked out.”

  “It’s nothing,” she insisted, and the red on her face deepened. “It’s from an old injury. It just acts up on occasion.”

  He realized her old injury was from the car wreck and shame filled him. She was still suffering from his wrong choices even after all these years.

  She set the coffeepot to the side. “Actually, I’m tired. It’s been a very long day and I’m ready to go home and crawl into bed.”

  “That’s a bad idea,” Matt said. “You shouldn’t be alone until we find the person who killed Luke and attacked you.”

  “I’ll be fine. I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. No one is after me.”

  “We don’t know that, Claire. You could still be in danger.”

  She glanced up at him, curiosity pooling in her eyes. “Why? What did you find?”

  “Luke didn’t send you that text asking you to come to the school. He couldn’t have. He was already dead by the time that text was sent.”

  “But it came from his phone. How can you possibly know that with any certainty?”

  “I saw enough dead bodies during my time with the rangers and I’m telling you Luke has been dead for hours, which means someone else used his phone to send you that text message. Whoever it was lured you here and was waiting for you, Claire.”

  He saw her mind racing. “Who would do that? Who would want to hurt me?”

  “That’s a good question, and one we need to figure out.”

  “I’m sure the text thing was just a fluke. Sometimes text messages get hung up in cyberspace.”

  He shook his head. He’d meant it when he’d said he wasn’t leaving until he knew Claire was safe...and that was looking less and less likely. There was no way he was going to let her go home alone. She would be a sitting target. “Why don’t you go and stay with your folks for a few days? Just until we have time to sort all of this out?”

  “My parents are on a cruise.”

  “What about friends? I would feel better if you weren’t alone.”

  “Matt, I appreciate your concern, but I’m fine. I’m sure you’re worried about nothing. Like you said, I don’t know anything, so there’s no reason to believe my life is in danger.”

  Her stubborn streak hadn’t changed, and past experience told him that once she’d made up her mind, it was no use arguing. All he could do was try to figure out who killed Luke as quickly as possible. “Fine, but I’m driving you home.”

  “That’s not necessary. I have my car.”

  “I know, but I would feel better if you’d let me drive you.” Drive her home. Make sure she’s safely inside. Then back to his life and let Detective Preston Ware step into the role of good guy. It no longer fit him.

  She chewed on her bottom lip, a clear indication she was nervous about being alone with him. At least that hadn’t changed. Finally, she gave a resigned sigh and agreed to let him drive her.

  * * *

  What on earth had she been thinking?

  Allowing Matt to drive her home had been a phenomenal mistake.

  She nearly burst out laughing as he climbed into her Volkswagen Bug, his long legs claiming the front seat and his knees nearly in his chest. He pushed back the seat to its farthest position, then started the engine.

  “Are you sure you want to do this?” she asked him. “How will you get back to your vehicle?”

  “It’s only a couple of miles back to the school. I’ve hiked farther than that with a loaded pack in the pouring down rain. A clear spring night with a slight breeze will make it a piece of cake.”

  She’d imagined him before doing his army training, and now she had an image of him carrying a heavy pack in the rain.

  One more image of Matt Ross to file away.

  He looked so different and yet so much like the Matt she remembered. He was taller and broader, a man instead of the boy she’d known. But his hazel eyes were still intense and his gaze on her still held the power to make her toes tingle. She turned to stare out the window as she felt her face flush with embarrassment.

  She pointed the way and he turned into her driveway and stopped the car. He got out and walked her to her door.

  “Thank you for bringing me home, Matt.”

  “You’re welcome. It’s the least I could do for you, Claire.”

  She shuddered as he placed his hand on her arm and walked with her toward the door. The air was chilly, but it wasn’t as much from the cold that she shivered. This reminded her that she was wearing his jacket.

  “I should give this back now,” she said, slipping out of his coat and handing it to him. “It was good to see you again, Matt.” She didn’t think she could stand another ending with Matt Ross, but at least this time she could have a goodbye.

  She turned to say it and spotted a car slowing down as it approached her house.

  “Claire, get down!” Matt shouted, grabbing her and throwing her to the ground as a slew of gunfire lit up the night and rained down on
her house.

  The car roared away, tires screeching, and the gunfire stopped. Fear ripped through her as she realized the gunfire was aimed at her.

  Someone was really trying to kill her!

  “Claire, are you okay? Are you hurt?”

  She shook her head, unable to find her voice. Two violent attempts in one day. She wasn’t sure she was made for this type of action.

  Matt reached for her face and turned it so he could look at her. His eyes were ablaze with anger and fear and she could feel his heart racing even with the distance between them.

  And suddenly the dam broke inside of her. This was just too much for her to take. The death of a student, a drive-by shooting and Matt Ross returning to her life all in one day? She fell into his arms, not even caring what he must think of her. She was afraid, and she was thankful Matt was here to protect her.

  TWO

  “This will sting,” the EMT said as he treated the wound where a bullet had grazed Matt’s shoulder.

  He barely flinched as the EMT fixed him up. It wasn’t serious. He’d had serious wounds before, but this episode tonight had shaken him and he didn’t have to wonder why. Claire was huddled in the cab of a police car, head down and shaking with fear.

  He couldn’t believe he’d been prepared to leave her at the house alone. What if he had? What if he hadn’t been there when the shots came? Anger and bitterness surged through him. He would find whoever was doing this and he would make them pay.

  He’d had one mission in coming home—to fly under the radar and get out of town with information about a dangerous drug ring. That mission had failed big-time. Now he had a new one—to keep Claire safe.

  He headed for the car and knelt beside her.

  “How’s your arm?” she asked.

  “I’m fine. I’ve had worse injuries shaving in the mornings.”

  She smiled at his attempt to lighten the mood. “The police want to know what I saw. The problem is I don’t know what I saw. I remember a car slowing down, but I can’t remember the details. They want make, model, color.”

  He’d been trained to notice such things and he’d already given the local police a description as well as the tag number, although he doubted it would result in anything. The car was more than likely stolen or the plates had been changed. He doubted they would have an easy time locating the car.

  “You can’t stay here,” he told her. “It’s not safe for you to be alone until we figure this out.”

  She nodded, obviously realizing he’d been right. “I can’t go to a friend’s house. I won’t put anyone in danger because of me. I’ll get a hotel room.”

  He wouldn’t argue with her over that. He had a hotel reservation, and getting Claire an adjoining room and having her close by would make him feel better. It wasn’t perfect, but it would do.

  Matt loaded Claire’s bags into the trunk of his rental car, which he’d retrieved from the school parking lot while she was being questioned by the police. Her Bug was bullet-riddled and inoperable, but that didn’t matter because he’d already determined that she wasn’t going anywhere without him. Not until he knew she was safe, and that meant finding out who was behind the drug ring.

  He drove to the hotel he’d booked and asked for adjoining rooms, making sure they had good sight lines to the parking lot in case someone decided to attack them at the hotel.

  Claire unpacked, then stood at the door and watched Matt as he unloaded his computer equipment and set up a mini office on the desk.

  “I’m sorry to take you away from your family. You come to town to see them and now you’re stuck here protecting me.”

  He focused his attention on setting up his computer, hoping his expression wouldn’t give him away. Once upon a time, she’d been able to read him like an open book and know when he was holding something back. He wondered if she still could.

  She stared at him, then folded her arms in a determined stance he recognized. She glanced at his suitcase, noting the few folded pieces of clothing. His phone was on the nightstand and she must have realized he hadn’t used it once to phone his parents. “They don’t know you’re in town, do they?”

  “I didn’t come to Lakeshore for a family reunion, Claire. I came to follow up on a lead about a drug ring operating in town.”

  “But how could you come back to Lakeshore and not call your family? You had a hotel reservation. You weren’t planning on seeing them, were you?”

  “No, no, I wasn’t.”

  “But I thought everyone was in town for Alisa’s wedding.”

  “That’s not until the weekend after next.”

  She watched him for several moments and it seemed she was looking right into his soul. Could she see the years of pain and grief behind the green of his eye? Ten years had taken a toll on him yet she still looked as sweet and beautiful as she had in high school.

  He saw a tinge of sympathy in her eyes...then she reached for her hip and bit back pain and her sympathy for him seemed to falter. She walked in and sat down. “Why are you here, Matt? I mean, why Luke? How did you get involved in this?”

  He was glad to see she was still direct and to the point. “We’ve been tracking shipments of synthesized drug chemicals throughout the Southeast. The ring we’ve been tracking has a special chemical signature. They ship to suppliers throughout the region who then mix and package the chemicals into a salable drug. Luke’s information confirmed for us that they were recruiting kids to help sell in schools.”

  “I knew he wanted out of the drug business, but I had no idea he was in contact with the DEA. How did that happen?”

  “I never had the opportunity to fully question him, but he apparently contacted the FBI first. They didn’t have jurisdiction, so they referred him to the DEA, where he spoke a couple of times to one of our intelligence agents. He’s the one who contacted me. I tried several times to get information out of Luke, but he was too afraid to speak more on the phone. He wanted a face-to-face meeting, so we set up the meeting at the school. I was hoping to learn the identity of Luke’s supplier. From there, we could have worked our way up the ladder and possibly taken out those behind this ring. Luke’s information was the first real break we’ve had. The DEA has been trying to infiltrate this ring for several years without success. Losing Luke will be a big hit to taking them down.”

  “That’s it? A kid is dead and all you can think about is the loss to your investigation?” She looked disgusted by his attitude, but she didn’t understand the scope of what was happening.

  “Kids are dying every day, Claire. This drug, Trixie, it’s deadly. So far, we’ve counted fourteen deaths related to it. One was a thirteen-year-old. These drug dealers know it’s dangerous and yet they’re still pushing it to kids. I am sorry Luke is dead, but I have to keep my focus on the bigger picture. He never got a chance to share information with me that could have toppled this ring, but maybe finding the person who killed him can do it instead.” She hung her head and he could tell she was wiped out. Ten years may have taken its toll on him, but the day had taken its toll on her. “Why don’t you get some sleep? You must be tired.”

  “I’m not sure I’ll be able to sleep. So much has happened today.” She shuddered and Matt walked to her and rubbed her arms, noting the goose bumps.

  “You don’t have to worry. You’re safe here, Claire. I’m right next door and I won’t let anything happen to you.”

  She nodded. “Good night.” She went back into her room and closed the door between them, leaving it cracked slightly as he’d requested.

  Matt was too keyed up to sleep. He wouldn’t rest easy until he knew Claire was safe. He should have made other arrangements when Luke wanted to meet at the school. But how was he to know that Luke even knew Claire? He’d had no idea she was teaching at Lakeshore. In truth, he’d had no idea what she was doin
g at all. He’d made a point not to know. The less he’d known about her, the easier it had been for him to go on.

  But she looked good, better than he’d expected, since he hadn’t seen her since the night of the wreck.

  He got out of bed and opened his laptop, typing up an official report of the day’s events, including the murder of his informant and his intention to follow up on the murder investigation in the hopes the killer would lead him to Luke’s supplier, and emailing it to his supervisor at the DEA. He’d phoned him earlier while he was at the school to update him, but the official report was needed for the file.

  One thing he liked about his DEA job was the autonomy he had. He didn’t have someone always looking over his shoulder or second-guessing his decisions. He had the leeway to extend his stay in Lakeshore to follow up on the murder investigation...and to keep Claire safe in the meantime.

  She’d stepped on a land mine without even realizing it. He was sure the shooting at her house was meant to be a warning to her to keep her mouth shut. Whoever had killed Luke had obviously wanted to know what information the boy had shared with her and that made her a target.

  He paced the floor, anger biting into him. One more person he cared about was in danger. He didn’t think he could stand it if something happened to her. He’d lost too many people he cared about in the ambush that took out most of his ranger team. He didn’t think he could stand losing anyone else.

  * * *

  Claire changed into her pajamas, then crawled into bed and pulled the covers high over her like a protective shield against the fear that threatened to overwhelm her.

  Matt’s presence in the next room was comforting, and she heard him moving around until finally the light from beneath the door went out. She closed her eyes, but as she’d expected, sleep evaded her.

  Her brain was a scramble of today’s events, from Luke’s murder to the drive-by shooting to the sudden reappearance of Matt Ross in her life.