The Texas Ranger's Reward (Undercover Heroes)

by Winters, Rebecca

  “Yes. There’s no other place for cars.”

  With further inspection he could see what she meant. Foliage grew too close to the cabin for a vehicle to drive around it. “I see track marks.”

  “Those are mine.”

  “All of them? You always come in the Jeep?”

  “Yes.”

  He walked over by some trees. “There’s another set of tracks here that have dried since the last rainstorm. They don’t match your Jeep tracks.”

  For a few minutes he took pictures and measurements. He felt her interest as he got out some material to powder the most prominent of the tracks, then lifted it with tape. “I’ll drop this off at the lab. In time it might tell us something useful.”

  Melissa stuck with him as he moved around, trying to open the ground-floor windows. They didn’t give way. At the back of the house he noticed cigarette butts leading from the back door into the forest. They were embedded in the dirt and pine needles. In some cases they were ground in.

  “Does anyone in your family smoke?”

  “No.”

  He pulled out a pair of disposable gloves and a plastic bag from his pack. After hunkering down, he retrieved what he could. There were enough butts to convince him more than one person had been here.

  “I’ve never noticed those before!” Melissa exclaimed. “I have no idea how fresh they are.”

  “The forensics lab will run a test and let us know the approximate age and make.” He zipped the bag and stowed it in his pack before walking to the back door. When he tried the handle, the lock seemed solid, but again, someone with special tools could open it. “Have you been in and out of this door recently?”

  “Not since I realized it could be dangerous. But the last time I was here, I did notice dirt on the floor right inside and left it to show the police.”

  “Good thinking. I’ll check for that in a few minutes.” He made the full round of the cabin’s exterior before asking her to unlock the front door. “Don’t touch anything. When we go inside, what I’d like you to do is point out the items you’ve noticed that have been moved or disturbed over the last month. I might be able to get some fingerprints.”

  “Oh…okay.”

  He put on a fresh pair of gloves. For the next hour he followed her around, finding objects and surfaces to dust. The cabin had a straightforward floor plan. Two bedrooms and a bathroom upstairs, and on the ground floor two more bedrooms, a bathroom, a family room with a fireplace and comfortable furnishings, and a kitchen with a pine picnic table and benches. All very cozy.

  With painstaking care Travis lifted the prints he’d found and put the tapes into bags. “So far, so good.”

  They’d finished in the kitchen where he’d gone through shelves and drawers. His gaze swerved to her smoky-blue eyes, watching his every move. “You have a very inviting cabin and it’s…fairly secure.”

  “In other words, a child could get in with the right tools.”

  He chuckled. “Afraid so. Anyone wanting in here is a professional, and probably had a key made to the back door. Since I didn’t find any cigarette butts in front of the cabin, it stands to reason they’ve chosen the rear entry, so they won’t be seen from the road.”

  “You think there’s more than one person?”

  “Maybe three or four.” She stood close enough to him that Travis felt the shudder that passed through her body. “My hunch is they’ve come on foot through the forest. Maybe they’re the hunters, teenagers or the Sasquatch family you mentioned.”

  She smiled. “So what do you think?”

  Now that he’d given himself permission to look at her, he wondered if he was more attracted to her than to other women because of the resemblance to Valerie. If so, did it matter?

  Hell, yes. While they’d been moving around the cabin, his mind should have been on the task, yet he’d imagined sliding his arms around her supple waist from behind and kissing the side of her neck the way he used to do with Valerie. And that was just for starters.

  He was as bad as the letch at Grampy’s. Worse even, because her father had hired him to find out who was trespassing on their property, and Melissa trusted him.

  In frustration he reached for his pack and pulled out the mini cameras. “It’s too early to tell. You say you come up on weekends, but so far you’ve never seen anyone hiding inside. I have to assume they only come after dark, on week nights. While I was gathering the dirt samples, I found some residue I didn’t recognize mixed in, and I want to have it analyzed.

  “In the meantime I’ll install these cameras around and we’ll get pictures on tape. One in the kitchen and one at the back door. Another I’ll put at the top of the stairs. I’m also going to plant this listening device in the geranium pot on the kitchen table. The recorder will catch any conversation. “

  “What if they notice?” She stayed with him and handed him things he needed.

  “I doubt they will. You told me they’ve been coming around since Pioneer Day. Now that it’s September and they haven’t been caught or scared off, they feel safe and aren’t looking for a trap.”

  He’d come up tomorrow morning and see if anything incriminating had shown up on the surveillance tapes. Maybe he’d get lucky and find some new cigarette butts and traces of anything else the intruders might have left outside. The garbage can out back hadn’t revealed anything.

  Except for the cigarette butts, Travis had to admit they’d been careful. No incriminating papers or wrappers in the wastebaskets or closets. Nothing had been hidden in the cushions or under the mattresses. Someone had been careful. Too careful for amateurs.

  She cast him a questioning glance. “Does that mean you’re through for now?”

  It sounded as if she didn’t want to leave. “I saw all your art supplies in the upstairs bedroom. You probably wanted to do some painting. But I’d prefer we go now, in case someone’s scouting around to make sure it’s all clear for tonight. I’m sorry.”

  “Please don’t be. I’m grateful to you for agreeing to solve this nightmare. Our whole family is,” she added.

  Her pleasant disposition was one of the many remarkable things about her. “That’s nice to hear. You can do some painting the next time you’re able to come with me.”

  “I’m free anytime.”

  That news came as a revelation. “What about your work at the clinic? I don’t understand.”

  “Today is the official beginning of my week’s vacation. I take a week off every fall around this time of year, and another one in late spring when the wildflowers are in bloom.”

  Travis grabbed an extra breath. A whole week with her… “I can see why. The scenery up here is breathtaking.” Including her.

  He started across the family room. “We’ll leave through the front door and head down to town, looking like two hikers out enjoying the sunshine.”

  On the way back they drank from the water bottles he’d brought. She shared a granola bar with him and he experienced a period of contentment with her that had been foreign to him for too long.

  Closer to town, a car drove past them. Melissa knew the couple, but they weren’t neighbors who’d noticed anything disturbed or missing at their place. She provided an invaluable service to Travis by pointing out other cabins and the names of the owners. It all helped him put a picture together.

  “How many cabins are above yours?”

  “None. Ours is the highest one on this ridge. There’s nothing else but forest
.”

  Travis planned to go exploring tomorrow when he came back up, but now he realized he wouldn’t be alone. “We’ve accomplished what I wanted, in time to get you home before I pick up Casey.”

  She darted Travis a glance. “Is he liking school?”

  “I think so. He hasn’t pulled a ‘sore leg’ on me yet.” But his son had been plaguing him to go to another movie with Melissa. Before school that morning he’d asked if she could come over to see him walk Dexter with his new leash. Travis had muttered something unintelligible and told him they needed to get going or they’d both be late.

  “That’s a good sign.”

  “I live in hope for the peace to continue.” At least in that department. But Travis feared his son wasn’t about to give up on seeing Melissa again.

  She laughed as they made their way back to the church. “Lo and behold, your truck is still here.”

  “So it is.”

  After he’d helped her inside, she pulled out her key ring. “I better give this to you now before I forget. It’s an extra key to the cabin so you can come and go as you please.” She handed it to him, and their fingers brushed. As if he’d just come in contact with a strong electric current, heat snaked up his arm.

  It had happened earlier, too, when she’d held the tools he’d needed while he’d installed the cameras. Each time she’d handed him something, the friction of skin against skin had caused him to grow more aware of her.

  * * *

  MELISSA PUT THE KEY RING back in her pocket, but the tingling sensation from his touch was more intense than it had been inside the cabin while she’d been helping him. Something was wrong with her if she could still feel him in every cell of her body.

  How embarrassing if he knew it.

  Of course he knew it!

  Travis Stillman was an extraordinary man who saw and sensed everything. And she was a nitwit!

  On the way down the canyon, her cell rang. She checked the caller ID. It was Tom. If this had to do with her artwork, Melissa figured she’d better take the call. “Tom?” In the periphery she felt Travis’s eyes on her, disturbing her concentration.

  “Hi. I’m sorry to bother you. The receptionist at the clinic said you were off today, so I thought I’d take my chances on reaching you at home.”

  “Actually, I’m out of town. Are you calling because you heard from your editor?”

  “Yes. I’m pretty excited. He’s accepted everything and wants to be absolutely certain you won’t be doing any more artwork. I sent him my ideas for my new series and he likes them. If you were going to be the artist on them as well, he would add some information about it in your bio in the first book.”

  The man didn’t give up. “I’m positive, Tom, but I appreciate you telling me.”

  “Just checking in case you’d changed your mind.”

  “I’m afraid not, but congratulations. I’m very happy for you.”

  “You deserve the same congratulations. Your artwork helped sell it.”

  “Thanks, Tom. I’m sure we’ll be talking again soon. Now I have to run.”

  No sooner had she hung up than Travis’s phone rang. After he checked to see who was calling, his dark brows furrowed and he clicked on. A few seconds later he said, “I’ll be there in five minutes,” and clicked off.

  “Problems at work?” she asked.

  “No.” She heard him draw in a swift breath, saw his face drain of color. “It was the school calling. Casey fell from the monkey bars at afternoon recess and is complaining of pain. They’ve got him in the office.”

  Her stomach clenched in reaction, but she didn’t want to show her alarm in front of him. “Then I’m sure he’s fine or they would have called an ambulance,” she said. “Kids get hurt at school all the time.”

  His hands gripped the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles were white. “Not one who’s barely mended from a broken leg.”

  Travis had always appeared in control in her presence, but this was his precious son who was hurt again, and he’d already lost his wife. “I’ll come with you and check him out. If need be, we’ll drive him to the clinic and take an X-ray. The radiologist will tell you if you need to talk to his surgeon.”

  “You don’t mind?” he asked.

  “This is what I do all day long at work. It’s nice that Casey already knows me, so he won’t be as frightened.” Not as frightened as his father.

  Before long they rolled into the school parking lot. Melissa jumped down the second he’d pulled to a stop, and they hurried inside to reach the main office. Casey saw both of them come into the reception room. His blue eyes widened before he slid off the chair. “Dad…Melissa…”

  “Hi, Casey,” she said. “I heard you got hurt so I came with your dad to see how you’re doing.”

  His face broke out in a smile. “I fell off the monkey bars and got hurt, but it’s feeling a little better now.”

  Travis hunkered down in front of his son and gave him a hug. “I thought you hurt your leg.”

  “No, my arm. See?”

  Melissa leaned over to inspect the sand burn below his elbow. He moved his arm just fine. No fractures there.

  “Ooh,” she said. “I bet that stung. But better your arm than your leg.”

  He nodded. “It really hurt.”

  “Like I told you before, you’re tough, and now you’ve got a mark of bravery to show for it. I think this calls for ice cream. Don’t you, Dad?”

  If she didn’t know better, she would say Travis was in a state of shock. If he’d stayed on the phone long enough, he might have heard a whole explanation from the receptionist and saved himself all this angst. But it showed his love for his son, and she found that trait in this tough man completely endearing.

  Travis got to his feet, his color slowly returning. “Let’s go, shall we?”

  “Yeah.” Casey turned to the receptionist. “Thanks for calling my dad.”

  “Anytime. Glad to see you’re fine now.” She winked at Travis and gave Melissa a smile before the three of them walked out to the truck.

  “Can we go to Farr’s?” He’d climbed in the back and fastened his seat belt. “They’ll put M&M’s in my ice cream.”

  “I like candy in my ice cream, too,” Melissa said. “Peppermint is my favorite.”

  “Dad doesn’t like pieces in his.”

  “Is that so.” She flicked her gaze to Travis. “Are you a chocolate man?”

  “Yup,” Casey answered for his father. “How did you know?”

  “A wild guess.”

  Travis shifted gears. “Melissa’s pretty smart.”

  “I know.”

  She wore a smile on her face the whole time they visited the ice cream shop. Casey showed his sore arm to the salesgirl, who put extra candies on his ice cream. They all thanked her warmly.

  On the way home Casey said, “She sure was nice.” He glanced at Melissa. “Can you come to our house and see Dexter?”

  Melissa knew what his father wanted her to say. “Do you know, I’d like that, but I have other plans I can’t break. Thank you so much, though.” Deep down she wanted to go to his house more than anything, but she didn’t dare take advantage of the situation.

  “Can you come tomorrow?”

  By now Travis had pulled the truck in front of her town house. “Melissa will be busy.”

  “Oh.”

  “We’ll make arrangements for that another time.”

  “Okay.” B
ut he sounded downhearted.

  She opened the door. “When you get home, be sure and put some disinfectant on your arm.”

  His head whipped around to his father. “Do we have any?”

  “I’m not sure. If we don’t, I’ll buy some.”

  “But it will hurt.”

  Melissa had an idea. “If you’ll wait just a moment, I’ll get some for you that doesn’t sting.” Leaving the truck door open, she darted into her condo. Once inside, she grabbed the can off her bathroom shelf and in seconds was back. Casey had opened his door and undone his seat belt, and now he waited for her on the end of the seat.

  “Can you stick out your arm? This is a spray. It’ll feel cool.” He nervously extended it. She pressed the nozzle and covered the long scrape with the mist.

  “Hey! That didn’t even hurt!”

  “Nope, and now you’re going to be good as new. I’m very proud of you.”

  Without warning, he reached out and gave her a hug. Luckily, she’d been standing right next to the seat. She hugged him back, then stepped away and shut the door. Her gaze flicked to his father. “See ya,” she said, not daring to prolong this. She’d taken her cue from Travis.

  “I’ll be in touch about tomorrow,” he assured her.

  “See ya soon!” Casey exclaimed.

  She chuckled as she walked back inside. Kids. They never gave up when they wanted something. She was crazy about them, but her feelings for Casey were growing deeper. Naturally, the loss of his mother had a lot to with her desire to comfort him, but that wasn’t the only reason.

  He was an endearing child in his own right. Fun to talk to. Bright, adorable. A son his father loved with a fierceness she’d noticed from the start. Casey was the reason Travis got up in the morning. She could see why, and she envied him.

  After checking her mailbox, she let herself inside the condo without looking back. Because of their hike in the heat, she decided a shower was in order.