The Texas Ranger's Reward (Undercover Heroes)

by Winters, Rebecca

  “No. I think he’s afraid to admit it to me, but I’m convinced he’s already bonded with her. Since she went to that movie with us on Friday, he’s worked himself up into seeing her again. I shouldn’t have given in to him. I feared there’d be a price to pay, but the thought of him refusing to go to school drove me to it. I purposely made it for the afternoon and—”

  “Travis,” Chaz broke in. “I’m confused.”

  “You’re not the only one.”

  “Try telling me this from the beginning.”

  He nodded. “Okay. Last Monday, when I took Casey to his first appointment with her, she challenged him to walk without his crutches. Just like that, he put them down and started walking around the therapy room with her. It was amazing. If I hadn’t been there to witness it, I wouldn’t have believed it.”

  For the next five minutes Travis unloaded to Chaz. When he’d finished, his friend stared hard at him. “My next question for you is might there be a part of you that wants to see her again?”

  “Hell, no!” Travis shot out of the chair and began pacing. If he did want to see her again, he’d need his head examined. “But Casey does.”

  “How come you’re so upset? If you don’t want anything more to do with her, then Casey will have to accept it. Even if he goes into another funk for a week or two, that will be the end of it.”

  Travis sighed. “You’re right. I just need to get over the shock. Thanks for talking to me. I’d better get to work. Roman should be here by now.”

  “Bring Casey over tonight. We’ve invited Mitch and Heidi. They’ll bring Zack. It’s still beautiful weather. We’re going to grill some hamburgers out on the deck. Lacey and Abby will be thrilled if you two come.”

  “Thanks, Chaz. I think I’ll take you up on that. It’ll be fun for Casey. I’ll bring the dessert.”

  His friend smiled. “Not necessary. Just make sure Dexter comes, too. Abby loves him.”

  “Will do.”

  Travis headed to Roman’s office, feeling better after having aired his fears to Chaz. But he hadn’t told him everything. On Friday he’d discovered Melissa Dalton was the only woman of his acquaintance who showed no personal interest in him. He knew it when he couldn’t feel any vibes coming from her.

  Travis wasn’t a vain man, but the few times she’d glanced at him, she’d seemed to look right through him. Their conversation on the phone when he’d told her about Valerie had been brief and to the point. She didn’t draw things out or show undue curiosity. Didn’t voice the usual platitudes.

  Generous as she’d been to Casey, Travis sensed she wouldn’t like it if he brought his son around her again. She’d been professional and accommodating to her patient, but there was a limit, and Casey had reached it. Travis needed therapy if he allowed this situation to get to him. There was no reason they would ever see each other again. Ships passing in the night.

  Roman had arrived, and motioned to him from his office. “Come on in and sit down. I’ve got something to discuss with you.”

  “I was just going to ask you a few questions concerning the new case myself.”

  His boss shook his head. “I’ve turned it over to Rand.” Rand was one of the older P.I.s who’d worked there for several years.

  Travis squinted at his boss. “Maybe you didn’t realize that Casey is fine now and back in school.”

  “I heard and it’s great news. But something else has come up and your name was mentioned as the person to get the job done. Ever heard of William Roberts?”

  “No.”

  “He’s the CEO of the Wasatch Front Steel company.”

  “That name I’ve heard of.”

  “Everyone has. Their family is one of the most prominent in our fair city. They’ve owned property in the Kamas area for close to eighty years, up in the Wasatch-Cache National Forest. The first Roberts settlers erected a cabin in 1935, and it has been used and maintained by the family ever since.

  “After the twenty-fourth of July, his daughter went up several times alone and discovered that someone, maybe several people, have been using the cabin on weekdays. She’s nervous to go up there at all now, and had a talk with her parents. Mr. Roberts told her he’d look into it the next chance he got.

  “Apparently owners of other cabins farther down the mountain have had occasional break-ins too, but the police have told them they can do nothing unless they see a crime in action. To Mr. Roberts’s knowledge, nothing in their cabin is missing, but there are definite signs of occupation. He phoned our company to look into the problem and catch the intruders. I talked with him yesterday. He requested you.”

  Travis was mystified. “Because of another case I’ve worked on?”

  “No. Because you’re a former Texas Ranger. It seems his daughter has met you and learned you’re now a P.I. She recommended you to her father and he called me.”

  The hairs stood up on the back of Travis’s neck. “What’s her name?”

  “Melissa Dalton. Does it ring a bell?”

  The news brought him to his feet. With a different last name, it meant she was either divorced or widowed. It would explain the absence of a ring on her finger, and her dinner date for Friday night. At the time he’d wondered if she didn’t wear rings because she did a lot of physical therapy with children.

  After concluding that she had no interest in him, Travis found, his thoughts going through a 180-degree reversal. He’d never told her that he worked as a P.I. now. The subject hadn’t come up. Which meant she must have learned it through Casey.

  Travis thought back to last week. The only time the two of them were alone was at the movie, when he’d gone out to buy popcorn. Had she asked Casey questions out of curiosity? Or had his boy just been chatty and told her the story of his life in those five minutes?

  What kind of work Travis did since they’d moved from Texas wasn’t a secret. But with Valerie’s killer still on the loose, everyone kept quiet about his former occupation. For her of all people to find out, and then go to her father, came as a big surprise. Knowing how she felt—or didn’t feel—about him made it an even bigger one.

  “What’s going on, Travis? This woman obviously means something to you.”

  Roman’s question jerked him out of his thoughts. He glanced at him. “She’s the therapist who worked with Casey last week.”

  His boss smiled. Travis didn’t miss the twinkle in his eyes. “Whatever went on, nice job.”

  “Nothing went on.” Roman could be a terrible tease.

  “Whatever you say.” His boss stood up and handed him the new file. “Her cell phone number is in there, along with the notes I took. Mr. Roberts wants you to work with his daughter. She’s the one who uses the cabin the most, and can tell you everything you need to know.

  “He’s made phone calls to his neighbors and indicated that a lot of well-heeled cabin owners up there will be indebted to you. The list is included. They’re willing to pay any amount to get rid of the trespassers, and want you to start today.”

  “After that buildup, I guess I don’t have a choice.”

  “There’s always a choice. You know that.” Roman had more integrity than anyone he knew. “Say the word and I’ll give it to Rand.”

  Travis broke out in a cold sweat. This was a dilemma he could never have anticipated. But as long as Casey didn’t know about it, and Travis kept any contact with Melissa Dalton to a minimum, he supposed it could work. “Today, you say?”

  Roman nodded. “
Gather your crew. Anything you need, just let me know. Jose and Lon are available for backup. Adam’s on another case, but should be finished shortly.”

  Jose was ex-FBI with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, and had worked for years on assignments in Latin America. Lon was a retired police chief who’d once headed the Salt Lake City SWAT team. Both were great resources among the many operatives Roman employed. Travis liked working with them when they were available. “That’s good to know. Okay, I’m out of here.”

  “Keep me posted, comrade.”

  Travis chuckled. Because of his Russian heritage, Roman often put in an exaggerated accent when he spoke to the guys. He was a bit of a joker.

  The first thing Travis needed to do was let Deana know not to fix dinner, because he and Casey were going to Chaz and Lacey’s.

  Next, he dipped into the file Roman had given him. After finding Melissa’s cell number, he programmed it and the clinic number into his iPhone, then went out to the firm’s shop to gather batteries, surveillance cameras and a listening device.

  Everything for the staff’s use was stored in there. Roman’s brother, Yuri, manufactured electronic gadgets and sent them out from the East Coast for the firm to try out. The place was a gold mine for the latest state-of-the-art equipment. Sometimes Yuri flew out with his family. He was an even bigger tease than Roman. The two brothers were so entertaining, everyone flocked around.

  Travis wore a smile out to the car, but once inside, he felt the reality of the situation hit home. Just call her and get it over with, Stillman.

  Gripping his cell, he phoned the clinic and left a message with the receptionist for Melissa Dalton to call him ASAP. He needed a key to her family’s cabin, and directions. If he didn’t hear from her within the hour, he’d try her cell. With that accomplished, he headed for home to change clothes and load his truck.

  * * *

  MELISSA HAD JUST TAKEN a shower and was eating toast in the kitchen when her cell phone rang. Her heart kicked, which surprised her. It hadn’t done that in years.

  She checked the caller ID, wondering if it might be Travis Stillman. On Sunday her father had talked to the owner of the Lufka firm and had hired them, specifically Mr. Stillman, to check in to the problem at the cabin. But Casey’s dad might be in the middle of another case and one of the other P.I.s would have to be assigned.

  Even if Casey’s father had been available, he might have declined taking the case when he found out Melissa had been the one to suggest him for the job. Then she would know in a hurry he preferred to have no more contact with her. Whether it was because she reminded him of his wife or some other reason, she would have to let it go. It surprised her that she even cared.

  When she saw the clinic’s number on her caller ID, she felt a double spasm of disappointment before picking up. Why were they phoning when she’d taken the day off?

  “This is Melissa.”

  “Hi. It’s Susan. Sorry to bother you at home, but Mr. Stillman just called the clinic and asked if you would phone him right back. It sounded important. Here’s his number.”

  Melissa ran over to the counter where she kept a pad and pencil and wrote it down. To her frustration, she saw her hand was unsteady. “Thanks, Susan.”

  After she clicked off, she phoned Casey’s father, taking several calming breaths while she waited for him to pick up.

  “Ms. Dalton?”

  “Yes.”

  “I appreciate your calling me back so fast, but I didn’t expect your receptionist to interrupt one of your therapy sessions.”

  “She didn’t. I’m at home.”

  He was quiet for a second. “You’re not ill, I hope.”

  “No. Nothing like that. I took the day off when my father told me he’d hired your firm. He wants me to be available for you.”

  “I see. Casey must have told you about my work.”

  “When he explained that Spider-Man caught bad guys, he also mentioned that you look for bad guys ‘for real.’ I asked him what he meant and he told me you were a P.I. who worked for Lufka’s. I looked it up on the internet and found the website. When I saw the word surveillance, I thought it an amazing coincidence.” She was talking too fast, but couldn’t seem to stop herself.

  “In what way?”

  “Ever since the July 24 holiday, I’ve been entertaining the idea of hiring somebody to find out who’s invading our cabin when we’re not there. I told Dad I’d be willing to help pay for a retired police officer to stay at the cabin until winter. He said he’d try talking to the police again, but I feared we’d get nowhere there.”

  “I heard about that from my boss this morning,” Travis replied. “Roman Lufka talked to your father, who told him you’ve got a problem up there. I’ve agreed to look into it, and understand you’re the one who can help me get started.”

  She leaned against the counter, trying to recover from her adrenaline rush. “I didn’t know if you’d be involved in another case, but I thought we should ask for you just the same.”

  “Actually, I’d been assigned to a missing person’s case, but my boss took me off it after talking to your father. It’s the least I can do after you helped my son realize he didn’t need those crutches. You have a way with children, Ms. Dalton.”

  “Thank you. But would you please call me Melissa?”

  “Okay, and you call me Travis.”

  “I will. We’re very grateful to you. I, most of all, since I’m the one who spends a lot of time up there. Fall is one of the most beautiful seasons in the woods. I’m really angry about what’s happened. We’ve been invaded.”

  “You have every right to be upset. Since you’re free, I’ll come by for you now and we’ll drive up there.”

  “We can take my Jeep.”

  “Except that it will be familiar to the culprits if they’ve been watching your comings and goings.”

  Melissa shivered at the idea. “You’re right.”

  “My truck won’t raise suspicions. If you have any maps of the area, bring them.”

  “We have a drawer full of U.S. Geological Survey maps at the cabin. My brother pores over them at every opportunity.”

  “That’s even better. I want to see everything inside and out. We’ll come home in time for me to drop you off and pick up Casey after school. By then I’ll have a much better idea of how I want to handle your case.”

  “I’ll be ready in five minutes.”

  “Good. I’ve loaded some food and drinks in my backpack. When we reach Kamas, I’d like to go on foot from there. I understand your cabin is only a couple of miles up the mountain.”

  “That’s right.” Hiking was one of her favorite things to do in this world. Waves of delight swept through her. A picnic with a Texas Ranger among the wildflowers would be like something out of a fantasy. With him around, no way could she get hurt.

  The biggest problem for her would be remembering it was only a dream. When he’d solved the case, the dream would be over.

  “Give me your address.” When she’d done his bidding, he told her he’d be there in ten minutes. Then he rang off.

  She hurried upstairs to the bedroom and removed her robe, choosing to wear jeans and a peach-colored T-shirt. After putting on her hiking boots, she went into the bathroom to do her hair. If they were going to be doing a lot of hiking, she preferred it off her neck, and opted for a French twist, using a couple of inlaid-wood hair sticks.

  After applying a liberal coating of
sunscreen, she put the tube in one of her back pockets with apricot-frost lipstick. In the other one she stashed her keys and a twenty-dollar bill. That was all she needed. She kept a lot of art supplies at the cabin. In fact, her bedroom there looked like a painting studio. If time permitted, she’d do some drawings.

  When she was ready, she went downstairs and grabbed two cold apples from the fridge. He might like one. Making sure the lights were off, she locked the door behind her and walked out to the drive to wait for him. She hadn’t taken a day off in a long time. It was almost like being a kid again playing hooky.

  Melissa was feeling so good she feared her latent divorcée hormones had finally decided to kick in. Until now she’d thought the whole idea was a myth.

  A few neighbors waved on their way to the carport. No doubt they were surprised to see her out in front eating an apple as if she didn’t have a care in the world. In another minute a steel-green metallic Silverado four-door truck pulled into the driveway with Travis at the wheel. She ran around to the passenger side and climbed in so he wouldn’t have to get out and help her.

  On a scale of one to ten, one being the most like the frozen Arctic, she decided the blue eyes that met hers were probably closer to a thawed-out four. The vast improvement lifted her spirits. If he’d really been turned off by her, he wouldn’t have considered taking this case, no matter what his boss wanted.

  “I brought you an apple, but if you don’t want it, that’s fine.”

  “Thanks.” He took it from her and bit into it, studying her at the same time from head to toe until she was almost suffocated from inner heat. The way she’d done her hair seemed to fascinate him. If his wife had worn it this way, Melissa didn’t want to know about it.

  “You don’t have a purse,” he said. ”Do you want to go back for it?”

  She shook her head. “I have everything I need in my pockets.”

  “Incredible,” he muttered. In the next instant he looked around and backed out to the street. Then they took off. Like her, he’d dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, but every inch of him was hard lines and sinew. Out of the corner of her eye she saw his backpack lying on the seat behind him.