Texas Ranger Showdown

by Margaret Daley

  “No,” Sean said, his eyes still shut.

  “Does your head hurt?” Blood oozed from a gash on his temple, and she leaned closer to examine the injury.

  “No. I. Am. Fine.” Sean’s dark eyes popped open, his pupils enlarged. “Leave. Now.”

  The anger she glimpsed in his eyes wasn’t directed at her but at Ian, who had returned and was standing behind her. With gauze in hand, he knelt again beside his brother.

  “We aren’t leaving.” His jaw set in a firm line, Ian hovered over his brother and stared at him, a silent battle of wills playing out. “I’m going to wrap your head to stop the bleeding. You aren’t running me off like before. This is my home too, you know.”

  Sean glared at Ian but let him tend to his cut.

  The chimes of the doorbell echoed through the house.

  “I’m not going to the hospital.” Sean narrowed his eyes on Ian. “You know how I feel about hospitals.”

  “You lost consciousness. That’s serious.” Caitlyn rose to make room for the paramedics she heard coming down the hall.

  “I passed out from drinking. Not the same thing.” Sean gripped the wooden bed frame and started to hoist himself up.

  Ian grasped Sean’s arm to aid him.

  “Get out. Paramedics can patch me up.” Pain mingled with Sean’s anger, causing the creases on his face to deepen.

  When Alice escorted the two EMTs into the bedroom, Caitlyn stepped back and moved toward her by the doorway.

  The housekeeper shook her head. “I don’t understand what’s been going on for the past few months.”

  Caitlyn drew Alice into the hallway. “What do you mean?”

  “I was around when Sean had his car wreck. I never thought I would see him drink again or have this kind of anger. It’s like he’s changed places with another person.”

  Caitlyn had seen signs that Sean was struggling with something but not to this extreme. She’d thought it had been grief over his father dying. Caitlyn had tried to talk to him about Andrew’s death. He’d refused, and after that, Sean had avoided her. He stopped going both to church and to the Longhorn Cattlemen’s Association meetings and functions, two groups he’d been very involved in.

  Ian joined them in the hall. “Knowing Sean and his aversion to hospitals, I doubt the paramedics will get him to agree to go.”

  “I think we should stay awhile and see how he does. I’ll call Granny and Emma to let them know what’s going on.”

  Relief settled over Alice’s face. “I doubt you two have eaten dinner yet. I can fix you some food. It’ll give me something to do besides worrying.”

  One of the EMTs came out into the corridor. “He insists he’s gonna stay here, and he wants us to leave. We can’t force him to go to the hospital. We dressed the cut on his temple. His head hurts, but he says his vision is clear and he isn’t dizzy. If he has symptoms like nausea, blurred vision, trouble with his balance or he’s bothered by light or noise, he needs to see a doctor. He should get a few stitches as soon as possible. The laceration’s likely to leave a scar.”

  “Thanks,” Ian said as the other paramedic exited the room.

  “I’ll walk you to the door.” Caitlyn started down the hall with the two EMTs, praying that Ian could talk some sense into his brother. There was a time they’d been close. She hated hearing they weren’t now.

  After the paramedics departed, Caitlyn dug into her purse where she’d left it, on the round table in the middle of the foyer. She found her cell phone and noticed a call from Granny. She hurriedly returned it.

  “I’m sorry, Granny, for not calling earlier, but we came to see Sean and he was injured. The paramedics just left.”

  “What happened?”

  Caitlyn told her how she and Ian found Sean. “Is Emma there?”

  “Yes, we were hoping to talk y’all into eating dinner with us.”

  “Let her know about Sean. We’ll stay here for a while. Alice is fixing us something to eat. I’ll give you an update later. Tell Emma that Sean will be all right.”

  “Will he?”

  “If Ian has anything to say about it, yes.” It was one of the reasons she cared so much for Ian. He didn’t give up on people.

  “And that young man is mighty determined. He reminds me of you. Y’all always got along well, like a couple.”

  Was Granny trying to get her and Ian together? She was one of the few people who knew what had happened that summer after high school graduation. “Talk to you later, Granny. Bye.”

  What would have happened between her and Ian if she hadn’t told that other guy she’d been dating that she just wanted to be friends? She’d seen a future with Ian and hadn’t wanted any distraction as they took their relationship beyond friendship. But the consequences of that final date with Byron had left her shattered.

  * * *

  When Ian entered Sean’s room after the paramedics left, his brother was curled onto his right side away from the door. Quietly, he rounded the end of the bed to see if Sean was awake. His brother’s eyes were closed. Ian couldn’t tell if he was asleep or just faking it. Ian decided to give Sean space and time to sober up.

  Ian walked from the room, leaving the door open. Since the lock was busted, Sean couldn’t barricade himself inside like before. His brother needed to face the problems that had led him to this point, but Sean would never listen to him. Ian hoped he would listen to Caitlyn. What he witnessed earlier was a plea for help, even if his brother wouldn’t admit it.

  He was glad that Caitlyn had been here, ready to offer her support. When they were growing up, she’d always been there for him, and that hadn’t changed. He didn’t realize how much he’d missed her. Most of his professional life had been spent solving others’ problems, but he needed help with his brother. But with Sean he couldn’t be objective. He hoped Caitlyn could.

  Ian went downstairs and found her with Alice in the kitchen. The table was set for three, and the housekeeper placed a large serving dish of stew on it. “I know you can work wonders, Alice, but there’s no way you had time to whip up this dinner.” He inhaled deeply. “That smells delicious.”

  Alice grinned. “It’s Sean’s favorite. I made it earlier. I thought that would get him out of his room. It didn’t, but I’m glad it’s not going to waste.”

  “No way. I’ll take some home with me for later this week.” Ian caught Caitlyn’s attention. “Have you had Alice’s stew before?”

  “No, but the smell was what drew me to the kitchen.” Caitlyn took a seat at the table across from where Ian stood. “I talked with Granny. She’ll let Emma know that Sean’s okay. How was he when you left?”

  “Asleep—I think.” Ian pulled out the chair for Alice and scooted it in after she sat.

  The housekeeper’s cheeks reddened. “It’s been a while since a man did that for me.”

  “That’s the least I can do. I love Nana, but she doesn’t cook nearly as well as you.”

  Alice picked up the bowl, scooped the stew onto her plate, then passed it to Caitlyn. “Ian, are you going to stay at your grandma’s, come here or find your own place?”

  He dished out his serving, then set the container in the middle of the table. “I’ve thought about living in the foreman’s house here at the ranch since Bud doesn’t, but first I want to make sure Nana is okay by herself because I don’t think she’ll want to move from her place, especially with Sally next door.”

  “Granny and Emma are usually together most of the time at one of their places. They help each other. I’ve heard from both of them that they don’t want to move.”

  He would do whatever was best for his grandmother, but he was used to living alone. Over the years, he’d become set in his ways—coming and going whenever he needed to because of his job. Crime happened at all hours of the day, and Nana tended to worry a lot. “Have they ever talked about li
ving together in one place?”

  “About once a month. So far neither one is willing to give up her house to move in with the other.” Caitlyn took a bite of the stew. “Mmm! Wonderful, Alice.”

  She blushed. “Thanks. It’s always nice to hear that.”

  “Sean and I have been a big fan of your cooking since we were teenagers,” Ian said.

  Alice stared at her plate for a long moment, then looked at Ian. “Lately he hasn’t been a big fan of anything. Caitlyn, I hope you and Ian can help him.”

  “When was the last time he went to the doctor?” Caitlyn clasped her glass and sipped the cold water.

  “A couple of years, before Andrew passed away. Sean was breaking in a horse, and the animal won that round. I didn’t think he’d go with the paramedics tonight, especially when Andrew left in an ambulance and never came home.”

  “Is that when you began seeing a lot of changes?”

  Alice cocked her head. “Yes, he found Andrew in the office collapsed on the floor.” Her forehead crinkled as she paused in thought. “I was going to say he didn’t leave the ranch much after that, but lately he has been. I’d started wondering if he was seeing someone, but this week everything went back to how it was right after Andrew died.”

  Had his move back to Longhorn caused Sean to hole himself up at the ranch? “What changed for Sean?”

  Alice shrugged a shoulder.

  “What kind of behaviors do you see the most, Alice?” Caitlyn asked.

  “Depression, losing interest in the ranch and, at times, escalating anger like tonight.”

  “I’ll try again to talk with Sean when he isn’t hungover. If I have to, I can come to the ranch to treat him.”

  “I hope he’ll open up to you, Caitlyn.” Ian’s gaze connected with hers. She was such a caring person. That was one of the things that drew him to her even as teenagers. He missed being around her. “Sean probably won’t be in any mood to talk tonight. I’ll take you to your grandmother’s. With all that’s happened today, she’ll want to see you.”

  “Are you sure you don’t want me to stay?”

  “Yes. I’m going to come back to the ranch and plop myself down in the stuffed chair in Sean’s room. If he wakes up, I’ll know. I’m a light sleeper.”

  When Ian finished his stew, he and Caitlyn cleared the table and rinsed the dishes so Alice could go to bed. Then Ian went upstairs to check on Sean. His brother hadn’t moved from his previous position.

  As Ian escorted Caitlyn to his SUV, she took his hand as though she could read his mind and the turmoil boiling in it. He felt her support without a word from her. He hadn’t realized how important that was to him—until now. He opened the passenger door for her, then walked around to the driver’s side. He should have come home months ago, but the Texas Ranger position hadn’t opened up until recently.

  As he drove away from the ranch, he sliced a glance toward Caitlyn. “Thanks for coming. I’m at a loss on how to help Sean. Any suggestions?”

  “He needs to see his doctor and have a physical to rule out any kind of medical problem causing the personality change. And he needs to be in therapy. He’s trying to deal with depression on his own. It’s not uncommon for a depressed person to turn to drugs and alcohol to try and alleviate it. Of course, it only makes the situation worse. If he doesn’t want to talk with me, I can recommend a therapist in Dallas.”

  “Any help is appreciated. I hope tomorrow morning Sean and I can have a civil conversation about what happened today.”

  “Today has been intense. I hope I make sense on the radio in the morning.”

  “Which days do you do your show?”

  “Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. They want me to go to five days a week, especially as more stations are being added. I’m getting calls now from all over the States, but I volunteer at Matthew’s Ministries on Tuesday and don’t want to give that up.”

  Ian braked at a four-way stop sign. “You could always volunteer on the weekend.”

  “True. But I don’t know if I want to take more on. I have patients I need to serve first. They’re my priority. I’m stretching myself as it is, doing four days.”

  He pressed the accelerator and crossed the intersection. “Speaking of your patients, is there anyone who could be the caller?”

  Caitlyn didn’t answer for a long moment. “I have a few clients that have a lot of issues, but no one has mentioned Jane recently.”

  “How about in the past?”

  “It’s possible, but I’ll have to search my case notes. I won’t break patient-doctor confidentiality. It’s important that my patients feel what they say to me will stay with me. I’m going to see the Shephards to let them know what you want. I can’t imagine them not agreeing to me talking to you. As I said before, I don’t see anything Jane said to me that would lead to someone murdering her.”

  “Thanks. You never know what sets a person off.” Ian parked in Sally’s driveway behind Caitlyn’s Thunderbird. “I hope you’re staying here tonight.”

  “I am. Granny wants me to. Emma is staying too.”

  “That’s good. Otherwise, I doubt she’d sleep much since I’m going to be at the ranch. And I know I’ll sleep much better knowing she’s with y’all.”

  This time as he strolled up to Sally’s house, he took Caitlyn’s hand. He’d liked the earlier physical connection. He remembered as a kid going on a hike in the woods with Caitlyn and, because she feared stepping on a snake, he’d held her hand. That feeling of being her protector made his chest swell, even though he didn’t know at the age of eleven what he would have done if they had encountered a snake.

  “What are you smiling about?” she asked when she reached the porch illuminated with a bright light.

  “Just thinking about the time we went hiking in Longhorn Woods, and you were afraid you’d see a snake.”

  “I’m still scared of snakes—all kinds.”

  Before she had a chance to ring the bell, the door opened. “It’s about time you got here. Emma and I are having a hard time staying up.” Sally moved away from the entrance and planted herself next to Nana.

  His grandmother’s arms were crossed over her chest and a formidable look on her face plainly showed her concern. “With a murderer running around town, I was getting worried.”

  “Nana, we’re fine. We were in the house at the ranch or in my car driving here. Besides, I’m trained to deal with dangerous situations.”

  “Is Sean still all right?” His grandma’s intense expression eased.

  “He’s sleeping. If something changes for the worse, I’ll let you know. I’ll be staying there tonight.”

  Sally yawned. “Well, now that Caitlyn is here, we can go to bed.”

  “Yes, y’all go to sleep. I’ll lock up the house.” Caitlyn hugged her grandma and his.

  As they shuffled toward the hallway to the bedrooms, Ian waited until they reached their destination before saying, “I’ll walk through the house and make sure everything is locked down tight. There were times at Nana’s that I’d find a door or window unlocked.”

  “It’s a shame we even have to lock up at all. Years ago, people didn’t in Longhorn.”

  “I know. But it’s the reality now in our society.”

  Caitlyn strolled beside him while he went through the house. “You must have seen all the reasons why that’s our reality. Being a therapist is hard, but I can’t imagine what ugliness and evil you’ve encountered in your job.”

  As he moved from a door to a window, he thought about his fifteen years in law enforcement. “There have been times I’ve considered walking away, but then something like a case I worked on in December would make me realize I make a difference in people’s lives, like you do with counseling.”

  “What happened in December?”

  “I was part of a team that saved the liv
es of a woman and a baby. Also, I helped break up a drug cartel and take some seriously bad men down. That case was a success. I wish all of them were.”

  Caitlyn turned toward him, halting his step. “I hope Jane’s murderer can be brought to justice. After my show tomorrow, I’m paying the Shephard family a visit. I worked on Jack’s campaign the last two times. And if there is anything I can do to help with the case, I will.”

  “I appreciate the offer, but I don’t want you involved. I don’t want the killer to contact you again.”

  “What if I could help him?”

  “How? Talk him into turning himself in? I don’t think so.”

  Caitlyn straightened her shoulders and lifted her chin. “It’s not unheard of. Police convince criminals to confess whenever they can.”

  “That’s different. They’re trained to protect themselves and others.”

  “And I’m trained to understand the reasons behind a person’s actions, whether logical or illogical.”

  Ian headed for the entry hall. “I need to get back to the ranch. As much as I don’t want to, I’m going to wake Sean a couple of times tonight and make sure he’s all right. I worry about him slipping into a coma.”

  “You’re brave. It’ll be like poking a sleeping grizzly bear.”

  He chuckled, the tension from a moment ago evaporating. “Now that image will be in my mind when I do.”

  “You’ll call me tomorrow and let me know how things are going?”

  Her question made his spirits soar. “I look forward to talking to you.”

  And the smile she gave him as he left the house sent his heartbeat racing.

  On the drive to the ranch, Ian recalled different times they’d spent together, especially as teenagers. He knew the exact moment Caitlyn became more than a friend—at a New Year’s Eve party in her senior year in high school, when he’d kissed her at midnight. The connection had surprised him. After that he’d begun looking at her in a different light—as more than just a friend. But they’d been young, and life hadn’t changed them yet.

  At the ranch, Ian parked in front of the house and let himself in. Silence welcomed him. The grandfather clock chimed midnight. He’d been gone longer than he’d thought. He took the stairs two at a time.